July 14, 2010
Some went patriotic. Others opted for themes from nature or focused on geometric shapes.
A group of residents from the Clairmont Heights Neighborhood Association gathered at the Holy Name Fieldhouse July 11 to build and decorate rain barrels, which are designed to collect rain water for use in watering lawns and gardens. The project was funded by a 2009 mini-grant from The Cole Creek Project, a $1.6 million urban stream restoration initiative in the Benson-Ames Alliance (B-AA). Schools, neighborhood associations, churches and civic groups located within the B-AA were eligible to apply for funding for projects that addressed stormwater management or water conservation.
The Clairmont Heights neighborhood, which sits on the eastern edge of the B-AA, is home to 271 residences, 80 percent of which are owner occupied. Bisected by Fontenelle Boulevard, it dates back to the early 1900s and enjoys a rich history, including serving as the site of the first airplane flight in Nebraska.
Prior to the workshop, the neighborhood association conducted an informational meeting to explain the rain barrel project to its members, promote water conservation and identify 25 residents who were interested in having a rain barrel on their property. Each participant contributed $20 toward the total cost for each barrel.
Following the workshop, the neighborhood association plans to conduct follow-up visits to each rain barrel household and answer questions or troubleshoot if issues arise. The group also intends to photograph each barrel and post the photos on its web site.
For more information about the Clairmont Heights Neighborhood Association, visit http://clairmontheights.wordpress.com.
The Cole Creek Project, a stormwater demonstration initiative, is the first to follow the City of Omaha’s Urban Design Element recommendation that calls for transforming the Papio Creek waterways into a citywide public park and recreation system. It’s a partnership of the City of Omaha Departments of Public Works and Parks, Recreation and Public Property; Roncalli Catholic High School; Douglas County; Omaha by Design; the Benson-Ames Alliance; Big Muddy Workshop; Hayes Environmental L.L.C.; Lamp, Rynearson & Associates and Olsson Associates. The project is funded by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District. For more information, visit www.colecreek.org.