Omaha Parks Department Public Meeting – Hanscom Park Renewal
Date: October 13th, 6:30pm
Location: Hanscom Park Pavilion
Date: October 13th, 6:30pm
Location: Hanscom Park Pavilion
Agenda: Formal Agenda is Currently Being Developed by the Parks Department
(we’ll publish once official agenda is released)
What We Anticipate:
- Meeting Purpose: An initial public “look”, review of considerations, and assessment of “Are we [the Parks Department] on the right track?”
- Omaha Parks Department will present whole park master plan, including:
- Review of input solicited from neighbors and children by Hanscom Park Renewal group for park and playground enhancements
- Presentation of “early” concepts/updated drawings, including:
- Playground (especially focusing on whether to move location)
- Amphitheater/community gathering space on/near northeast corner
- Circulation (e.g., enhancements to pathways, park entrances): Sample questions to be answered: Does the circulation make sense? Is this proposed new park entry point where you want it?
- Soccer field (e.g., regrade, re-seed, add sidewalk, benches, soccer goals)
- Review of preliminary cost estimates for specific enhancements
- Review of updated timeline for project (some enhancements earlier; some later; some dependent on funds we can raise to fund specific enhancements)
- Review of input solicited from neighbors and children by Hanscom Park Renewal group for park and playground enhancements
- John Royster from Big Muddy Workshop, a CSO (combined sewer overflow) subcontracted firm, will present:
- CSO project-specific information that impacts the park upgrade project
- CSO plan will have 2-3 options for public to respond to
- Time for public questions/comments on proposed park enhancements
Additional Park Updates
Update from Pat Slaven/Omaha Parks Department:
- Pat continues to coordinate with John and CSO
- Planning for public meeting:
- Pat is open to suggestions on the agenda
- We need to think about what we need
- Hold pre-meeting to figure out how we can help Pat meet her needs
- Advertising/publicizing public meeting:
- Pat will meet with city coordinator and CSO coordinator to plan
- Mailings, social media, press releases
- Need to look at project and draw radius of who we want to reach via postcard
- Pat could coordinate with HPR
- CSO project is engineer driven - some constraints re: what can be done
- Green infrastructure is used when it saves money (constructed wetland, restoring historic pond; at Elmwood, added cascading bioswales, native plant gardens)
- John doesn’t see a lot of difference between what neighbors want and what might need to be done; good opportunities there
- We will come to meeting with ideas and get input on how those might be improved
- Can enhanced form/design be added to practical function if we can fund it?
- Yes, but enhanced form/design can’t be funded by CSO money (e.g., if neighbors want “artistic flare” to be added to a boring concrete water retention structure, we will have to fund it ourselves)
- Infrastructure for other desired “community enhancements” (e.g., a nice-looking bridge over the ravine, "artistic flair") can be included in the CSO plan (and bid separately) if we can provide funding for it before construction begins
- Also, they look for opportunities to build additional infrastructure for future park amenities that the CSO can’t fund, but that others (neighbors) could potentially fund in the future (e.g., they could create an embankment from excess dirt excavated for CSO project to support a new pathway along top of northeast corner ravine)
- Need to create list of what can and can’t be covered by CSO funds
- 2015:
- Public “kick-off” meeting: Scheduled October 13th.
- A second public meeting at the 30% design completed mark (not sure if this will fall into 2015 or early 2016)
- 2016:
- Anticipate starting playground enhancements in Summer, 2016 -- playground enhancements can move ahead while other park enhancements impacted by CSO project are still being worked out
- Pre-construction public meeting once close to final design
- Public meeting at end of planning
- 2017:
- CSO project will be bid in 2017 (along with amphitheater, soccer field and other park elements affected by CSO project)
- Website for CSO project is just going online
- Because CSO project is in response to federal clean water act, it’s very structured with tons of documentation (lots of studies)
- Public meeting at construction start or bid award
Areas neighbors can have impact:
- We have approximately two years to fundraise for additional park amenities. Help us fundraise! Help us plan fun fundraising events!
- Conservation groups might provide funding for plants/shrubs/trees (for wildlife? for shade? for aesthetics?). Help us identify potential funding sources, grant sources!
- Local volunteer groups (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups) might be willing to plant any plants obtained via conservation groups. Help us identify local volunteer groups who might help us with various park enhancement tasks!
Miscellaneous:
- What about concerns re: use and safety of amphitheater?
- They will consider suggestions by community
Next Steps for the Hanscom Park Renewal Volunteer Group -- Join Us! Help Us!:
- After October 13th public meeting:
- Begin strategic planning for how we (HPR) can support Parks Department and CSO project while also pushing for added amenities neighbors desire
- Begin strategic planning for next phase of project (e.g., addressing other amenities identified by neighbors)