HistoricOmaha

Omaha World Herald
Published Thursday January 19, 2006

BY MAHALIA ASANAENYI

A veterans memorial. The avenue of flags. A manicured rose garden.

Porta-potties?

Memorial Park’s restroom could eventually be replaced with portable units, under a renovation project in the works for the midtown park.

The park is listed as one of 70 scheduled for improvements under the city’s Neighborhood Parks Renovation Plan. Since 2003, the city has begun work or completed renovations on 43 parks.

This week, city officials and neighbors met to discuss plans for Memorial, Cottonwood Heights and Morton Parks. Park planners and residents identified problem areas for each park.

In Memorial’s case, planners targeted the restroom and concessions building, the existing ballfield, the playground area and equipment, and drainage.

The restroom is frequently locked because of vandalism problems and noncompliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act standards, said park planner Pat Slaven.

Slaven and the group tossed around ideas, including rehabilitating, demolishing or replacing the restroom. Plans were not finalized.

“We’d have to look and see what (the city) is talking about,” said B.J. Reed, president of the Dundee-Memorial Park Association, in a later interview.

Ultimately, Reed said, the neighborhood would be interested in a facility that could not be vandalized or destroyed and that would serve the park’s daytime needs.

The group also discussed moving the playground area away from the ravine and replacing outdated playground equipment.

In addition, planners and residents discussed moving the ballfield.

“Right now, they’re just ideas,” said Joe Gudenrath, a spokesman for Mayor Mike Fahey. The city budgeted $104,193 to rehab the 67-acre park. Cottonwood Heights and Morton Parks will receive $48,196 and $75,565, respectively.

All plans will be finalized by the summer, and renovations will begin in the fall, Gudenrath said.

Omaha.com: Memorial Park may see several changes