Request for Details on Habitat Work at Omaha Park

This email was sent October 25, 2013 to Omaha mayor Jean Stothert and Franklin Thompson, of the Omaha city council.

After conversations with a few people well aware of One Pacific Place Park, there is no clear indication of what is going to happen at this park. Neighbors and others want a park where the "natural features" such as the wetland feature will be maintained in a manner which conforms with what was originally intended. The prairie flora should reflect native Nebraska flora.

This project has already started, as the wetland area vegetation has already been removed and mowed to a barren condition in mid-September. This work, by the way, destroyed habitat which could have been used by wild birds, especially during the autumn migration.

Currently, there are marker flags around the wetland area, which are another obvious sign that the project is underway.

The following are items of interest and concern associated with the changes expected to occur at this distinct park.

1. Why was the vegetation cleared from the wetland area, weeks prior to any further work? one comment heard was that the park was "scalped"; with suitable planning and consideration, the work might have been compressed into a short time-frame of a week or two?

2. What will be the extent of any earth-moving work; does the basin need reworking to provide a suitable slope from west to east to facilitate the flow of water? When would this occur?

3. Will there be any reseeding necessary, and if so what particular species will be reseeded, and when might this occur? There is a preference to ensure that only species native to Nebraska be established.

4. How will the prairie vegetation be maintained; will it be mowed annually or burned occasionally? There are local experts who know how to maintain a vibrant prairie environment who could easily be consulted on what is necessary to ensure a quality prairie-like setting that requires minimal maintenance.

5. Is the pending work based upon the master plan for the park? Will the results conform with the original master plan for the park as developed in the late 1990s, or has this changed?

6. What are the plans for providing water to the wetland? What will be the expense associated with pumping water into the basin? Is there an expected period of time when water will be pumped, and does this pumping require a state permit for any well?

7. How has Omaha Parks Recreation and Public Property conveyed to the public the work expected to occur at this park?

8. Where can Omaha citizens, neighbors and park fans learn more the work expected to occur at One Pacific Place Park, which is a property owned by city residents and which should be managed in a manner interested citizens deem suitable for the greater public good?

9. Why has it required at least a half-dozen phone-calls over a three week period, with no call-back or email response, to try to learn more about what is going to happen at this park?

10. How can interested citizens actively participate in improving this park? This was not achieved through the recent public meeting. Perhaps a neighborhood group could host a planning meeting where there could be a discussion of plans and agreement on how to move ahead in a positive manner, based upon community collaboration, rather than a seemingly, isolative bureaucratic decision?

There is, at this time, no clear indication of the expected changes at this park, and the timeframe for any work.

This park is a asset to the neighborhood, and any pending changes can only be improved by an open discussion of what is going to occur, and how to ensure publicly-appreciated values for the long term.

Clearing Destroys Habitat at West Omaha Park

An article in the local newspaper on Friday, October 4th indicated another example of a limited perspective by officials of the Omaha Parks Recreation and Public Property department. Apparently because of public request, a meeting was held to discuss what was to happen at One Pacific Place Park, regarding the complete clearing of vegetation associated with a key habitat feature of the place along the Big Papillion Creek.

The clearing occurred during mid-September, based upon details which could be determined. An actual date of occurrence would be preferred as it would mark a date of destruction.

A personal call to the office of the mayor of Omaha, on Friday, October 4th asking for specific details, did not provide any information of interest regarding a site plan, a schedule for further work, sorts of plants to be planted, etc.

A visit was made to the park the next day on Saturday, which conveyed quite a paradoxical situation. An interpretive sign promotes various features of the local flora and fauna, while the perspective is nothing more than a few trees and an otherwise barren landscape of worthless turf grass.

The newspaper article indicated that a wetland and prairie were to be established at this place. The obvious question is when?

There are also other pertinent points:

Why is vegetation cleared in September, pending earth work weeks later? The apparent time-frame reflects a obvious lack of attention to details. Why is vegetation cleared weeks before any earth-moving effort? When will vegetation be planted to replaced what was cleared. For how many months will the vegetative cover be gone?

The focus appears to be schedule something to get done, and then schedule the next thing, without any regard to important considerations such as native flora, use of the site by migratory birds, and continuance of the natural features that may have been associated with the site.

There is obviously some ignorance regarding vital values being lost, as obvious at One Pacific Place Park. Consider: vegetation cleared in September, earthwork sometime late in the year, an unknown time when seeds will be planted by at this time of the year nothing will grow until next year. If, and that is a big if, seeds are in place to suitably grow next spring, there might be some plant cover by May or early next summer.

Considering the dearth of natural settings within urban Omaha, any little haven can be appreciated by migratory wildbirds. The vegetative cover at this park could have been a place enjoyed during the autumn migration, potentially during the winter season, and maybe as a temporary stop-over site next spring.

Decisions by Omaha Parks department staff obviously exclude any of these opportunities, because of their ignorance or perhaps worse, their indifference, but seemingly it is a lack of knowledge due to ignorance because of a lack of knowledge.

The whole scenario could might have been compressed into a very short time-frame next spring. Remove the current cover, work the ground and then immediately afterwards, spread the seeds for the new vegetation which could sprout with the arrival of the natural growing season.

Instead, the loss of flora and fauna will occur over a several month's long period. Based upon what the Parks Department has done, there is very little space left which might provide a haven for any of the animals indicated upon the sign. Denuding a habitat to a barren condition decimates whatever fauna had been present as their home is destroyed.

Skepticism is a word which applies in this situation, and only time will convey what will actually happen?

Parks Board to Evaluate Hummel Disc Golf Course

The advisory board of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department unanimously agreed to evaluate conditions associated with the disc golf course at Hummel Park. Following the August 1st meeting, the board indicated it would evaluate the interlocal agreement which allowed the Omaha Disc Golf Association to establish the course. Parks staff would also discuss items with a group representative.

The City of Omaha also provided $10,000 for its construction, according to comments made by a park planner.

Concerns conveyed at the meeting included: clearing of trees and other vegetation which has created barren hill-side ground obviously subject to erosion sooner or later; how trash is dealt with, since plastic bags hanging upon trees is not sufficient, so where trash receptacles might be situated in association with the course needs to be discussed; and, the extent of vegetation cleared for the course, especially along the "fairways" through the woods. There was an indication that a representative of the disc golf group would be asked to attend a board meeting to express their perspective.

Hummel Park has a recently built nature center, and hosts a summer nature camp. The removal of trees of any size and understory vegetation does not conform with the focus for this park, which based upon the summer camp is to appreciate nature. Removing trees and removing vegetation are not things beneficial to the local environmental setting.

Several members of the advisory board visited this park during their tour of Omaha parks on July 2nd. No of the people involved, indicated their perspective.

During the conversation on this matter, Brook Bench, parks director of dubious means, said that there could no longer be any spraying — apparently of herbicides — to remove vegetation. There is also a limitation that any trees removed were to be less than six inches in diameter.

A picture taken in early July 2013, indicated a newly cut-down tree which was near this limitation, though its actual extent was not known since during any bird hikes, a ruler has not been among the items carried.

Course rule signs, along with tee markers are apparently to be put in place soon, according to comments made at the afternoon meeting.

This course was initiated at least three years ago. What they "discers" wrought has always been problematic. The primary question is, when will they be done? And when will they no longer degrade the naturalistic features of this unique park. It is and will continue to be a huge mistake to impose a disc golf course within what had been a unique park setting along Ponca Creek and the hills just to the south.

Hummel Park Degradation Continues Due to Disc Golf

Degradation of distinctive natural features associated with Hummel Park is continuing to occur. On a recent visit the following pictures were taken to document obvious concerns and problems. They are only a sample, as there certainly could be other sordid occurrences, but the morning's purpose was bird watching.

Firework trash at a disc golf tee among the hills. Fireworks are usually "shot-off" at night, and which is obviously too much of a disruption for a forest area. Fireworks should be banned from Hummel Park. And to add insult to injury, the people that did this, could not even pick up their trash. How pathetic.

Trash left at the same disc golf tee. Note how barren the hillside is due to vegetative clearing.

More fireworks trash at the same spot among the woods.

The nearby hillside, which has been basically denuded of native vegetation. Thankfully the hill is a "hard-soil" type and not prone to immediate erosion, though it will certainly occur eventually.

A recently cut-down tree snag. Apparently the perps think they can remove any vegetation they might care to, or to cut down any unwanted tree or snag. This implies an indifference by park officials who are supposed to be responsible for care of the parks owned by the people of Omaha.

Trash receptacle at a disc golf tee. What makes the perps think they can drink beer whenever they want in a city park. It appears that a permit is required to drink alcohol at city facilities, but once again, being in the woods, they perfer to act indifferently.

This is another example of a barren hillside of which a large portion has been nearly completed cleared of all vegetation. This is another situation where an erosion problem will certainly occur in the future.

A downslope hillside, also denuded, with future erosion more than certain.

Another plastic bag for the beer cans of the course perps. There were also bottles and cans which had been thrown among the nearby trees of the forest.

Tree limbs and such thrown thrown into Ponca Creek to provide a crossing to use rather than following the nearby trail. It is a violation of a federal law to place fill material into a wetland recognized by Section 404 of the Clear Water Act. Since Ponca Creek is a tributary of the Missouri River, it is included within this designation. In addition to being illegal, during some eventual ample rain, the material will be washed downstream, gather at a constricting point which will likely result in bank erosion, and then perhaps block the culvert under the street to the east, cause flooding, and maybe loss of creeks-side trees. A bunch of negative results can occur due to tree limbs in a creek at this park, and others about Omaha.

Understory clearing along Ponca Creek. Note the difference between the right of the picture and the rest of the view. The tee area to the left among the trees is predominantly a barren place in comparison to what would occur naturally. Yet, the perps associated with the course creation apparently have carte-blance to clear whatever they want to suit their biased perspective without any consideration to the overall values associated with this park.

The course should be removed and this failure to consider values of this unique park should end. Those inconsiderates that degraded this distinctive park should be required to restore what they have wrought in destruction. This entire endeavor is a disgrace, allowed by city officials with a seemingly laissez faire attitude. This disc golf course has been a fiasco, and a supreme mistake which should be quickly ended and removed!

Questionable Addition Proposed for Levi Carter Park

A proposal to place a mock-up of the USS Omaha -- a submarine -- at Levi Carter Park has, either because of some unknown rationale or inadequate newspaper reporting, has no basis for where it might potentially be placed along this former oxbow of the Missouri River.

The monument would reportedly cost $1 million to construct.

Courtesy image.

There are so many points not known, with the most recent story given below a free, color-graphic, as published so large upon one page of one Saturday newspaper. It was a story wrought with details not indicated!

Particulars missed, included: Why can't this fake monstrosity of a former submarine construct be placed at Freedom Park, in association with other military equipment already present at this space along the Missouri River?

What is sorely missing in the indicated proposal, as reported, was any indication of why should the submarine monument be placed at Levi Carter Park, and for what reason. The newspaper story did not indicate any particular reason for its construction. The article did not convey that it would be done to recognize any particular person or event. There was nothing said regarding the origin of the idea, and how the person(s) whom conveyed the idea, are continuing to be involved.

Where is the $250,000 pledged by the City of Omaha coming from?

The city of Omaha, or the Omaha Park Foundation, would not have committed these funds unless they knew that additional contributions could be expected. There was nothing of this sort indicated in the verbiage of the Saturday news article.

Who is the person pushing this proposal? They obviously have some money ready to spend to create a monument to glorify their perspective. These folks are behind this endeavor.

City of Omaha officials seem to agree, and the mayor of the City of Omaha made certain that $250,000 was provided to initiate the effort.

Mayor Suttle said the feature would be visible from places near the Eppley airport.  What an "useless" comment, because of the obvious result of constructing so big next the street. The big construct should be visible for everyone driving along Abbott Drive, along the western side of Eppley Airport. The comments made by the mayor, indicated a comment based upon expressing words without meaning.

There are other factors at this park to consider. It would require moving the park sidewalk. It would be a massive amount of dollars spent when the two nearby piers have dangerous sidewalks, with is an ongoing condition, and has obviously been ignored by park officials. Money would be spent for this thing when the budget for a park manager has been reduced.

The graphic image used by the local newspaper, presents quite an erroneous perspective.The graphic included with the newspaper article did not include any attribution. It certainly was not prepared by one of their employees.

This graphic indicated a boundary associated with Abbott Drive and the eastern edge of Levi Carter Park as a "soft edge." Flowery sorts of plants are shown at the northern-most point of the submarine, which will include a couple of relics of the former thing.

Nothing was said about who would plant and maintain the plants, and also keep the sidewalks clear of snow during winter months. Why is a monument to a war machine being put in a greenspace?

Some city officials are obviously missing the boat when it comes to placing this monument at Levi Carter Park.

Who proposed this idea? That could have been indicated on a web page. Why should Omaha Parks provide $250,000 of public funds when they can't suitably repair problems at the park, which have been present for too long.


There has obviously been some agreement by the City of Omaha administrators, and the Omaha Parks Foundation to accept a proposal, and move ahead without any sort of public meeting or discourse.

Levi Carter Park deserves more than a submarine proposal which is an obvious example of a some special interest, people/group unknown, and a lack of transparency by city officials to provide these and related facts.

Levi Carter Park deserves greenspace conservation, instead of more metal, bricks and concrete! Freedom Park is a better places for a memorial such as a fake submarine.

Transfer of Manager Pending at Levi Carter Park

The current park manager at Levi Carter Park is to soon be transferred to another park facility managed by Parks Recreation and Public Property division of the City of Omaha.

This would be a mistake as Randy Garlipp is an obvious asset to this park along Carter Lake. He arrived from N.P. Dodge Park and it was immediately apparent that he had the drive, ethic and interest in improving the park settings.

During my more than 130 visits to the lake and park, Randy has always been cordial, and each time we've taken a minute or two to visit, it made the day more enjoyable.

Levi Carter Park is not an easy park to maintain. Consider:

• illegal taking of grills by perpetrators focused upon stealing metal and selling it as scrap;
• graffiti on park facilities which indicate an association with "EO" which might be something like an East Omaha gang;
• vehicles driving wherever they want, across areas where they is not supposed by be any vehicular traffic, as well as some people that seem to think they can park wherever they want; and
• litter, trash and other debris are a constant nuisance.

There is an obvious need for more park care, rather than less.

Randy Garlipp was on the scene during the park cleanup on Saturday, April 13th. While taking care of regular chores, he also helped with removal of trash gathered by volunteers. He personally expressed his appreciation for the effort, and he comment was worthy of a further quote. And then he stopped again, northward along the street, to give the same appreciation to some of the last people still working to pick up litter late in the morning.

There are other reasons that there should be no change at Levi Carter Park. Obviously, the primary point here is that: "Don't mess with success." Mr. Garlipp has been successful in maintaining the essential values of Levi Carter Park. Why is it that because a park manager does a great job, they get transferred elsewhere?

Additional reasons against this change are also obvious. Randy Garlipp has been attentive to birds about the lake. In the past two springs, he did not have to be told to clean out the houses for the Purple Martins, but had it done before the birds arrived. This year, there were two houses, and though it seemed necessary to personally do the work, my perspective was mistaken because Randy had already taken care of providing a welcoming place for the martins.

Because of moments of discussion, Randy has realized the various sorts of birds about the lake, and it is something he has said that he appreciates. Many birds appreciated the food he provided during the past winter season at feeders on the south side of his residence.

Levi Carter Park is in dire need of more attention, not less. There have been millions of dollars spent upon the lake improvement project in the past couple of years. And portions of the park are still closed because of this.

Most importantly, the multi-million dollar investment, as funded by multiple sources, needs to continue, and deal with some other issues obvious about the lake. They include:

• removal of invasive species such as phragmites along the shores of Levi Carter Park, as well as unwanted cedar trees on upland portions of the park, especially at its west side;
• establishing ample turf upon ground that was disturbed by the so-called lake improvement project;
• preventing vehicle encroachment upon lake-side spots where people seemingly cannot walk to the lake to fish, but instead drive wherever they want, and which seems to be a law enforcement action by OPD;
• determining specifics that determine any operation of the water pump on the north side of the lake, and which is within the City of Omaha park;
• replacing defective concrete at the piers on the east side of the lake; and
• continuing the community involvement and work well done by the current park manager.

However the decision was done associated with selecting the best manager for this park, there is no transparency, as it seems to be some administrative choice. There seems to have been no opportunity for the people of Omaha to comment on this expectant change!

This decision seems to be another something done by Parks officials that have been regularly oblivious to comments by citizens of the city they seem to tepidily represent at times.

It does not make sense to transfer someone such as Randy Garlipp, who is well aware of the park and its particulars, to someplace else, and bring in a part-timer. What a mistake it would be to create less when the current situation creates more of the place!

Once Mr. Garlipp is transferred, there will only be a "part-time" employee at Levi Carter Park. It is not known if this would be someone working part-time every week, or a set number of hours during the year to be classified as a part-time employee?

Levi Carter Park deserves and requires a fulltime "caretaker" but City of Omaha officials are doing just the opposite! There are many issues in the park environs, and with someone at the scene for fewer hours, things will not be suitably taken of, which will continue an ongoing reduction in what is needed to actually improve the park, which was originally donated by the Levi Carter family, decades in the past.

More needs to be done at this park -- larger than 500 acres -- that is heavily used when entirely open. A fulltime manager is essential for success and Randy Garlipp is the proper person for the job!