It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for Monday March 16, 2026.
Did you know that the borough manages two swimming pools, two indoor ice rinks, a public gym, four campgrounds, multiple parks and trailheads, and the recreation areas at Jim Creek and Government Peak? Oh, and they maintain the borough trails, too.
Mat-Su Borough Recreational Services Manager Hugh Leslie explained the range of borough recreation services and facilities on Valley Edition last week.
Leslie has been with the borough for more than 13 years and brings over thirty years of experience as a recreation professional. His department is staffed by about 28 full-time employees. He manages the recreation infrastructure across the borough.
Leslie hires around 20 to 25 seasonal workers for trails and parks during the summer. Roughly 80 on-call staff support recreation operations at peak times. Are you interested? Find the jobs link at the bottom of the matsu.gov page.
Leslie’s office is at Jim Creek Recreation Area. The area has undergone major upgrades. Improvements include a parking area that can hold more than 400 vehicles, a 26-site campground, and a park headquarters staffed year-round. Many of the campsites are long pull-through sites. They can accommodate trucks, trailers, and RVs. The campground is almost full most summer weekends and is about half full during the week.
Visitors can book campsites in advance. An online reservation system for the borough campgrounds was introduced last year. Leslie said the change has made camping easier for visitors and increased campground revenue. Visit campspot.com to reserve your spot.
The borough continues to expand and improve recreation.
Recent work includes upgrades to the Pioneer Peak Trailhead. The parking was expanded from eight spaces to roughly 20. A modern restroom was also installed.
Projects planned for this summer include replacing steps at the West Butte Trailhead, completing accessibility improvements at Talkeetna Village Park, and the opening of Sunshine Creek Campground near mile 102.5 of the Parks Highway.
Demand for recreation facilities continues to grow. Sales of annual trail passes have increased from about 750 in 2012 to more than 4,000 today. Trail counters recorded almost 400,000 visits last year. Borough pools logged more than 111,000 registrations. Ice rinks hosted almost 90,000 attendees. Local campgrounds welcomed more than 11,000 users.
Leslie says the department works to maintain and improve facilities while keeping recreation accessible for residents. Upcoming efforts include improvements to local parks, planning projects for recreation areas, and a new “problem reporter” app. The app will allow users to report trail issues like fallen trees so crews can respond quickly.
The borough recreation staff take pride in helping residents and visitors enjoy the Mat-Su’s outdoor opportunities.
Find the full interview with Leslie on bigcabbageradio.org under podcasts then Valley Edition.
Students are back from spring break. The school bus drivers are still on strike.
From the Field: Stories through the Eyes of an Archaeologist with Fran Seager-Boss is at 7 p.m. tonight at the Palmer Depot. This free event is sponsored by the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation and Revel Treks & Tours.
Cheryl Homme gives a talk on the Quilts of Valor Foundation and Forget Me Not Quilters for the Palmer Historical Society of Alaska at 7 p.m. tonight at the Moose Lodge.
The borough assembly meets tomorrow night at 6 pm. See matsu.gov for the agenda.
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This Page Two article was written by Mike Chmielewski and read by Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Monday March 16, 2026.