The Chena Riverfront Commission voted unanimously July 23 to recommend that the borough not dredge the area under the existing Pioneer Park dock and to encourage revaluation of the dock installation after the P6 parking and riverbank project is completed.

The vote: Commissioner Julie Jones moved the commission recommend that the borough reprioritize the Pioneer Park dock repairs and dredge project in order to advance the P6 project. Commissioner Christy Everett seconded. An amendment—moved by Wade Binkley and seconded by Bob Hensley—replaced the motion's second sentence with: "The Chena Riverfront Commission does not recommend dredging of this area and encourages reevaluation of the dock installation after completion of the P6 project." The amended motion passed unanimously (7–0).

Why it matters: staff said estimated dredging would cost more than $200,000 and that continued sedimentation makes repeated dredging likely. Commissioners and staff said those recurring costs and uncertain effectiveness make dredging a poor use of capital funds while P6 redesigns the river interface.

What staff told the commission: Lee Williams, Riverside division superintendent and Pioneer Park manager, said the project was at about 95% design but stalled because land interests for below-ordinary-high-water and funding limits meant available funds would cover only dredging and not dock repairs. "We're looking at spending over $200,000 just to dig a hole so that a 30-plus year old dock that we don't want to put back in the river would float again," Williams said. He said the river is naturally accreting at the current dock location and that Canoe Alaska and other stakeholders had indicated the dock may not be necessary.

Stakeholder input and next steps: staff said Canoe Alaska and Fairbanks Paddlers have provided letters in the past and were updating those letters to reflect the P6 concepts; staff requested updated letters confirming that stakeholders do not want the dock reinstalled in its current form. Lee Williams said a director-level administrative action could cancel or reprioritize the CIP project; he and Kimberly Diamond, parks project coordinator, said they would seek clarification on whether the CIP funds could be held for a later, differently scoped riverfront project.

Distinguishing discussion vs. decision: the commission's vote was a formal recommendation to borough administration and not an appropriation; it did not itself reallocate CIP funds. Commissioners asked staff to gather letters of stakeholder support and to bring information back after the P6 open house and design finalization.

Ending: The commission's recommendation will be transmitted to borough public works/administration for action; staff said they will hold the P6 open house Aug. 20 and revisit options after public input and further analysis.