‘This is where we live, work, and play’: Ship Creek Cleanup kicks off Saturday

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The 13th annual Ship Creek Cleanup kicks off on Saturday, as people get ready for the 2025 salmon season. On Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ship Creek, Bait Shack owner Dustin Slinker said, people are going to be splitting into teams as they work to clean up Ship Creek.

“This is where we live, work, and play,” Dustin Slinker, owner of The Bait Shack, said. “Let’s just keep it beautiful. We can teach the next generations of anglers and youth the responsibilities of picking up our trash.”

Last year, Slinker said, over 200 people participated in the event and picked up around 1,500 to 1,800 pounds of trash. In past years, Slinker said, people have picked up as much as 3,500 pounds.

“We just literally walk both sides of the creeks, the parking lots down here, picking up trash,” Slinker said.

Slinker said clean-up efforts are part of the 2025 Citywide Cleanup events, which are being hosted by the Anchorage Chambers of Commerce with Matson.

“Ship Creek is a hidden gem and it’s right here in the heart of downtown Anchorage,” Slinker said. “This is a touchdown spot for a lot of visitors coming into Alaska. The first place they make it to. What’s not a better way to showcase Anchorage, Alaska, than to have the creek cleaned up down there for those visitors?”

The Bait Shack said it has gloves and trash bags for participants, but people should bring a pair of rubber boots with them.

Participants can also expect to see door prizes happening on Saturday as well.

At the end of the event, Slinker said, the Quilt of Valor Foundation will be doing a quilt presentation honoring three veterans.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.