I used to sit in my car and eat lunch while out driving around the Petersburg parks and facilities. One spot that I liked to sit was actually the old town dump — called glass beach by many locals. It had a wonderful view of the coastal range mountains out across Frederick Sound. Sometimes while sitting there I would catch a glimpse of a humpback or killer whale. You often would see sea birds or hear the bellows of sea lions.
It was city land, and seemed like a good spot for a little bit of development. At first I was just thinking of a bench and garbage can. But then I found a State of Alaska grant program called Watchable Wildlife. Though the development of the site was not a priority for the city, or even our department, it seemed like an opportunity to act on. I priced some gazebo kits and added estimates for interpretive panels with some site work. I wrote and received the grant for about $27,000.
A local shipwright heard of the plans for a gazebo and he offered to build a custom structure with the understanding that we had a limited budget. As a result, the project timeline dragged out many months longer than expected, but created a truly spectacular structure. Reminiscent of an inverted ship, the structure was a labor of love of Dave McFadden. Some people call it the Whale Observatory, though I avoid calling it that because I once listened to a ranting tourist at Sitka’s Whale Park.
Two years after I left Petersburg, and about ten years after Outlook Park’s original construction, Outlook Park had renovations made, clearing trees and adding landscaping and restrooms. That year the park received the award for Facility Excellence from the Alaska Recreation and Park Association. Typically just one, but perhaps two, facilities in the state are given this recognition.
The park is highlighted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and is frequently used by couples for wedding ceremonies. Including ours.
