The annual Chili Feed is a celebration of spring in Ester. Go play at the park, or on the hills and trails around Ester, and then join community members for chili, cornbread and dessert at the Golden Eagle. You must be 21+ or with legal guardian.
Suggested donation $10 individual; $25 family. All proceeds go to the purchase and maintenance of the Ester Community Park!
Donations of chili, cornbread and desserts are always welcome!!
The ECA is looking for a few dedicated volunteers to assist with park maintenance and to help recruit a new Park Director. It takes a lot of work to keep the park in top shape and we need more hands to help make the process work. Please contact [email protected] if you’re interested in being a part.
ICE USERS GROUP: Secondly we need to gather together a user group to assist with ice installation and maintenance including snow removal and flooding.
Unless we find heated storage for Alice (our Olympia ice resurfacer) will will not be able to use it this winter. Please contact us if you have a lead on heated space, or another solution for ice maintenance. We sure love having the rink in top shape, but we can’t do that without help!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 AT 4 PM AKDT
The annual fall Ester Community Association membership meeting will be held virtually on Sunday, September 19 at 4 p.m. via Zoom.
There is a waiting room enabled – you may experience a brief wait before being added to the meeting. To reduce bandwith please keep your camera off and stay on mute unless ready to speak.
We will be electing board members as well as providing updates on the year’s activities. Annual membership must be renewed in order to vote.
Membership can be renewed online using our Square site: https://my-site-100388-102972.square.site/
A huge thank you to everyone who made Ester Fest such a successful day in support of the Ester Community Association’s beautiful jewel – the Ester Community Park.
Huge shoutout to our musicians! The lineup was incredible. And it couldn’t have happened without our keen sound tech Charmin and Sound Reinforcement Specialists equipment.
The Ester Community Park is beautiful and unique in many ways beyond its fantastic playground, large stage and lush grassy field. The privately-owned park is completely separate from the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks & Recreation department and is maintained, paid for and operated entirely by volunteers with the non-profit Ester Community Association, using private donations, income from facility reservations and annual fundraisers.
The fourth annual Ester Fest, coming up on Saturday, Aug. 14, is a family-friendly fundraiser to help raise revenue for the purchase, maintenance and continuous improvement of the Ester Community Park. Concessions from local food trucks, and adult beverages from Goldies, as well as Ester Fest t-shirt sales also benefit the community park. Admission is $20 adults, $10 youth/seniors and children under 10 are free.
This year’s festival boasts a diverse line-up of some of Fairbanks’ top musicians as well as featured acts from artists as far south as Seattle and Austin. Music starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m. Several local food trucks will be on site and Goldies will be serving up their signature cocktails to festival attendees over 21. For a complete line-up of music and food vendors please visit https://estercommunityassociation.org/ester-fest/
“We wanted to create a festival for everyone, breaking beyond the typical folk/bluegrass acts to include jazz, blues, punk, rock and R&B,” said organizer Monique Musick. “Each hour features a different music style and includes a diverse mix of artists.”
Parking at the park is limited so people are encouraged to carpool if they are able. The spacious lawn has lots of room to spread out – bring a chair or blanket and enjoy live music on the biggest outdoor stage and best grass in Fairbanks.
Since the venue is outdoors with lots of room for distancing, masking is not required, and no questions will be asked about vaccination status. Anyone who has COVID symptoms needs to stay home, and anyone who feels more comfortable is encouraged to wear a mask if desired. Vaccinations will be available onsite for those interested.
Want to show some love for the Ester COMMUNITY Park?
Come to Ester Fest August 14!! Enjoy great music and delicious food for an even greater cause– supporting the Ester Community Association/Ester Community Park!! $20 adults, $10 youth and seniors, children free. LEARN MORE.
July 23, 2021
Open letter to the Alaska Mental Health Trust,
We, the elected board of the Ester Community Association, are writing to represent the majority of the Ester community who are opposed to leasing Ester Dome lands to Felix Gold/Millrock for significant mineral exploration including the right to mine, extract and remove gold ore from our backyards.
It is important to note that the Ester Community Association is not anti-mining as a principle. We recognize that Ester exists because of historic mining, and the community currently co-exists with multiple smaller mining operations in the immediate vicinity. Also, there is no opposition to the mission of the Mental Health Trust, or lack of recognition of severe mental health needs in our community and across the state.
However, in the agreement with Felix Gold, the Mental Health Trust declared that the “highest and best use” of the Ester Dome land is gold mining, but noted that resource values include residential and recreational. We represent the thousands of Alaskans who see far greater benefit to those residential and recreational values, and suggest that areas not so critical — or close — to residents instead be considered for gold exploration.
We are a tight, residential community, and actively enjoy access to multiple recreational activities, hunting and trapping on the very land being opened for mining development.
We strongly believe that the proposed leasing of land on Ester Dome for mining is not in the best interest of the mental, physical, or emotional health of our community, for the following reasons:
What is worse, most of us would have been unaware of this proposed development had it not been for a journalist reporting on the contract. There was no public announcement beyond a legal notice in the paper, no public hearings, no opportunity to ask questions, discuss alternatives, or express concerns.
A large, foreign company could severely impact our property values, mental and physical health, and our way of life, and all we have is an email address for voicing our concerns.
We strongly oppose the agreement made between the Mental Health Trust and Felix Gold and wish to remind them that exercise and enjoying nature are the healthiest activities our community can share, and is the only free way people can reduce anxiety, depression, and negative mood and also improve self-esteem and cognitive function. That, we believe, is still the “highest and best use” of our beloved Ester Dome.
Sincerely,
Ester Community Association Board of Directors
MISSION: The Ester Community Association is working together to preserve the unique traditions and enhance the lives of the Ester community.
The Ester Community Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that has existed since 1941 to enhance the wellbeing of Ester area residents. The all-volunteer organization serves to improve the lives of residents through annual community events, and the ECA maintains and operates the Ester Community Park and Hartung Community Hall.
Each year ECA volunteers give their time and resources to keep our park beautiful and build our community. All improvements to the Park have been accomplished through the hard work of the people of Ester, memberships and donations. Monthly mortgage payments are made from fundraising activities, user fees, Mortgage Meeters and private donations. The Ester Community Association is a 501c3 organization.
Volunteer, become a member and/or donate to the ECA today!
The people have spoken! The Fourth of July parade will go on.
WHEN: This year the 4th falls on a Sunday. The parade will start at noon (EST – “Ester Standard Time”). Cars/trucks/floats should arrive to Hartung Hall approximately 11-11:30; others should plan to be there to check-in by 11:45. There’s no registration fee or early sign-up – just check-in the morning of.
WHERE: The parade lines up by Hartung hall – goes past the Golden Eagle, turns left on Village Rd. past the post office, left on Old Nenana and ends at the park.
WHAT ABOUT THE JUDGES? Judges will be hidden along the parade route. Typical bribery is suspended due to COVID – but entrants should be aware that they need to impress the judges in the crowd throughout the entire parade route. Be spectacular everywhere – not just for the judges.
AND AFTER? There will not be a potluck or pig roast at the end (sadly) due to ongoing COVID concerns, unavailability of vaccines for anyone under 12, and an abundance of caution. However family units and “pods” are welcome to picnic in the park following the parade. The ECA will have a booth with information on supporting the park, volunteer opportunities, memberships etc. but we’re toning down some of the traditional post-parade activities.
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2020 AT 4 PM AKDT
Zoom https://alaska.zoom.us/j/86484939323
The annual spring membership meeting will be held virtually on Sunday, April 25 at 4 p.m. via Zoom. Use this link to join the meeting: https://alaska.zoom.us/j/86484939323
There is a waiting room enabled – you may experience a brief wait before being added to the meeting. To reduce bandwith please keep your camera off and stay on mute unless ready to speak.
We have a number of very important matters to discuss as a community.
Membership can be renewed online using our Square site: https://my-site-100388-102972.square.site/
