On September 19, 2002, the Leavenworth Neighborhood Association began a journey of renewal in their neighborhood.  The group had requested that Omaha By Design, then called Lively Omaha, help them look at their public spaces using a new method called the Place Game workshop.

This is story of how a group of citizens took their dream of a better neighborhood and followed that dream through to concrete plans for change.

The Leavenworth Place Game

On that late summer evening in 2002 a crowd gathered in the lower level of the First Lutheran Church at 31st and Jackson to see what this Place Game was all about.  They had been invited in the neighborhood association meetings and by flyers distributed throughout the area.

After a short introduction to Omaha By Design and brief instruction on how to play the Place Game they split into four groups to examine Dewey Park, Leavenworth Park, the area around the intersection at 33rd and Turner Boulevard and the green space at Turner Boulevard and Leavenworth.

Each group walked to their site and examined it with the help of a trained Omaha By Design volunteer facilitator.  They discussed what they liked and disliked about the space based four criteria of 1) comfort and image, 2) access and linkage, 3) uses and activities and 4) sociability.

The groups then returned to the church to brainstorm what they might be able to do.  They came up with ideas for quick fixes and long term visionary plans for their neighborhood.  They also discussed who they might be able to partner with to make their ideas a reality.

Emerging Themes

Several major themes emerged from the session.  The teams felt that most of their sites could become more attractive and bring more people to the parks and green spaces.

They felt the general appearance was “dumpy & run down” with picnic tables in poor condition, insufficient sanitary facilities and a poorly maintained ball diamond that wasn’t being used.

Then, they quickly turned their attention to what could be done.  In the long-term the workshop participants saw a way to unify their neighborhood by deciding to create themes to connect all the green space along Turner Blvd.

Connections could be made by a trail system linking all the parks along Turner and on to the Field Club Trail.  They proposed open space for pets, better lighting throughout park, improved signage and access.

Because the area was originally part of Omaha’s boulevard system designed by Horace W. Cleveland in the late 19th century, one idea was to create an interpretive center to explain and showcase the Leavenworth area as a part of Omaha Boulevard history.  The groups also wanted to make improvements consistent with the original plans and coordinate with the Bemis Park area for consistency and to maintain the areas sense of place.

Focus the Planning

Following the Place Game neighborhood officials met with a Place Definition Facilitator to review the summary provided by Omaha By Design and to condense and focus their results to begin the grant application process.

Place Definition helps clarify the uses, activities, relationships, and image the neighborhood wants to pursue for the space and examines the time frame and costs of the work. To find out more about the Place Definition Process click here.

The group also worked out a mission statement for the project: To enhance the quality of life of the Leavenworth neighborhood by connecting the parks and green spaces along Turner Boulevard.  Click here to see the completed Leavenworth Place Definition Statement. [Hotlink to last two pages below]

Funding the Plan

Armed with the Omaha By Design Place Game session results the Leavenworth Neighborhood Association approached the Mayor’s Office seeking a neighborhood improvement grant.  They made a grant application and were successful.  With the grant, they contracted with Big Muddy Workshop, a local landscape architecture and interpretive planning firm for technical design expertise.

The Planners

Big Muddy Workshop was charged with delivering a green space concept plan for site improvements and enhancements along Turner Boulevard between Dodge and Pacific Streets. Preliminary discussions included the neighborhoods intention to make a 1.2 mile long linear green space connecting the three existing public parks; Turner Park, Dewey Park and Leavenworth Park.

The planners were expected to use the results of the Place Game Workshop to help define the types of improvements to include. Improvements under consideration could include park benches, flower gardens, hop scotch and four-square grids, horse shoe pits, shuffleboard courts, chess tables, exercise facilities, basketball courts, volleyball courts, croquet courts, playground equipment, skateboard park, Frisbee golf, educational/interpretive features, play and ornamental fountains, a band shell, sculptures, and decorative street lights.

In addition a rough cost opinion would be prepared identifying the potential costs for the proposed improvements for the Association’s use in obtaining grants and funding for the project.

Building the Plan

Big Muddy workshop began by making a base map for use in preparation of the concept plan.  Planners then visited the area and became generally familiar with the characteristics, topography, drainage patterns, vegetation, and existing facilities. They recorded the existing site conditions by taking photographs for their own use.

The planning team met with representatives from the neighborhood association and City park staff members to review the preliminary program developed during the Place Game Workshop and to discuss opportunities for green space enhancements and park improvements.

Armed with an understanding of neighborhood goals Big Muddy developed preliminary concept drawings illustrating the major improvements to be included in the green space plan.

The planners then conducted a meeting with neighborhood residents and City park staff members where the preliminary concept drawings were reviewed and discussed to determine the residents’ preferences regarding the park and green space improvements. The group selected one concept combined with elements of other concepts for further refinement.

Big Muddy planners returned to their drawing boards and prepared a final concept plan. The concept plan indicates the location and layout of enhancements and improvements proposed within the project area.

Finally, the planners prepared a rough cost opinion for the association and a range of what the different components of the concept plan might cost.  These cost estimates and the final green space plan were reviewed at a meeting with neighborhood residents and City park staff members.

The Plans

Next Steps

With plans and cost estimates in hand, the Leavenworth Neighborhood Association is uniquely positioned to give donors and grantors a clear picture of what they proposed to do and how much it will cost.

The funding organizations can now know exactly what their money will be used for and the Leavenworth Neighborhood Association can rest assured that the improvements to their parks and public spaces will be what they dream of through community consensus.

Omaha By Design
Place Definition Statement For Leavenworth Parks
April 3, 2003

MISSION STATEMENT:  To enhance the quality of life of the Leavenworth neighborhood by connecting the parks and green spaces along Turner Boulevard

GOALS:

FUNCTION - People, Activities, Relationships

• Increase number of people who use the parks for recreation
• Enhance safety of parks
• Increase recreation options (active/passive)
• Get to know each other – social interaction of neighbors
• Increase sense of ownership and pride
• Connect all the Leavenworth area parks to Hanscom Park on the south and to Fontenelle and other parks on the north.  Recreate the original boulevard system.

FORM - What you see and what you feel

• Period light enhancements to reflect historic nature of area
• Clean (litter-free) – upgrade and better maintenance – make it sparkling. (its currently rough around the edges)
• Visual connectivity of the park
• Features to accommodate events
• Create destination points
• Trees all along the street sections

CONCEPTS:

FUNCTION

• Accessibility to Dewey Park from the west side of park
• Develop a trail and wide sidewalks to connect all the parks from Dodge Street to Pacific (city trail schedule is 10 years out)

FORM

• Quality surface crosswalks to connect trails (vertical form at each side of intersections – park portals at the main trail street crossings)
• Historic lighting fixtures along trail or path
• Historical markers
• Period benches
• Flower beds or gardens (look at history/origin of sunken garden)
• Similar trees along trail

UNIQUE FEATURES FOR EACH PARK AREA

TURNER PARK

• Important, significant, historic park – passive but with benches and tables for high-density use by Mutual of Omaha employees and local businesses
• Sculpture from Arts Commission (will receive this year)
• City Flower center (2 beds planted by City)
• War Memorial (World War I, II and Korean) – feature it
• Fountain would be nice addition
• Period lighting

DEWEY PARK

• Quality – upgrade, distinctive park
• Sports, athletic functions (sand volleyball, tennis – clay and concrete, horseshoes)
• Community center in existing building
• Seating (benches)
• Visually soften infrastructure (shrubs along the square)
• Access 33rd from west side into heart of park

LEAVENWORTH PARK

General use park

• Could reconfigure park to accommodate different uses (young playground - slated for playground equipment, older playground, move ball field, develop soccer field)
• Landscaped wall at north
• Gazebo is good for picnics
• Sunken garden concept closest to Leavenworth helps transition to rest of park

33rd and JACKSON (BEND PARK)

• Passive park
• Tables and benches
• Young children activities

NORTH LEAVENWORTH

• Transition – passive park – quality green space, sculpture park
• Entrance to north end of parks
• Weave trail through park (not just following the street)
• Tree grove at south end (northwest perimeter of south end)  – screen Mrs. Roberts (business)
• Sculpture garden
• Open play or small picnic area at north end
• Look at improving all four corners of Leavenworth
• Improve lighting – create a visual connection

SOUTH LEAVENWORTH

• South end – natural amphitheatre
• Sledding hill – benches at top of hill
• Skateboard park at north end
• Access from Poppleton – doggie park

IMPLEMENTATION

• What needs to be accomplished first? 
• What are the linking factors? 
• Program Statement will be given to Master Planner. 
• Six benches are coming now as result of neighborhood grant.

ECONOMY

• How much money is needed
• Linkage features are trail, lights and plants
• 2005 – City Park Renovation Plan
• Mid-town Redevelopment Plan
• Grants – Mayor, OCF, NAC
• 501c(3)
• Partnerships with churches, organizations, state-wide arboretum