OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Tranquility Park is transforming but mountain bikers have concerns. The city of Omaha Parks and Recreation shared preliminary design plans and is asking neighbors for input.
- Planned improvements include 15 turf fields, 10 baseball/softball fields, and enhanced guest amenities.
- Organization 'Trails Have Our Respect' (THOR) working with the city to ensure trails are not removed.
- Project aims to make Tranquility Park inclusive for all recreational activities.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In a state without mountains, mountain biker Sean Speck says these rugged natural trails are important to bikers. That's why he and others are paying close attention to Tranquility Park development plans.
"They're pretty wide sweeping changes and the way they were presented online shows them having fields across all the trails that we call home and so it's hard for me to see where we coexist," said Speck.
Early next year, the city will begin a $54 million expansion here.
Those anticipated improvements include 15 turf fields, 10 baseball/softball fields, improved guest amenities, enhanced safety and natural conservation areas.
Omaha Parks and Rec is working with the organization Trails Have Our Respect,
The group calls itself THOR and maintains the trails here.
Executive Director Jason Brummels tells us the trails have always been a part of conversations with the city and THOR and the city are working to enhance them, not take them away.
"For trail enthusiasts it's a big part of our life, and so there are folks that are really excited and anxious about any changes that might affect something that they enjoy so much," said Brummels.
Brummels says the hill slopes that a lot of trail users enjoy here will be mostly unaffected, but the entire project is about making Tranquility a park for everyone.
"The truth is that there are large developments happening in the tranquility that are gonna be great for the entire city and offer all sorts of different recreational opportunities there," said Brummels.
"I can definitely see that there's excitement about the additional baseball fields, the soccer fields it looks amazing. I just don't want to see that mountain biking community forgotten about," said Speck.
If you have thoughts or concerns about this preliminary design plan, email me at Jillian.Lamkins@3newsnow.com.
