City of Lincoln details new $15 million park in Haymarket District
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A $15 million park is going to be put in the Haymarket District.
Several city officials were at the announcement of Lincoln’s newest park on Tuesday.
It will be located at Seventh and N Streets, on the south side of the Haymarket.
“Great cities have great parks,” said Parks Director Maggie Stuckey-Ross. “And for Lincoln, South Haymarket Park will be a great park. South Haymarket Park will help us build equity and opportunity.”
It was an idea that began in 2018, and it’s expected to open to the public in 2025.
Stuckey-Ross said as of Tuesday, the city has raised $6.7 million for the park and is looking for donors to fund the rest.
The plans for the park include a dog park, a water feature to play in, accessible playgrounds, an in-ground skatepark, lots of green space and more.
Those in attendance were happy to see what would be brought to the community.
“This will definitely be the first of its kind based on its size,” skateboarder Talon Blizek said. “An outdoor park like this will be really nice for the skateboarders.”
And for those who enjoy running or biking, the park will have trails to use.
“I’m most excited about the bike trail,” said Lincoln City Councilman Bennie Shobe. “I’m a bicyclist. And the Chris Beutler Trail that will connect me to the Jamaica Trail gives me a slightly bigger loop around the city.”
James Crook, another bicyclist, agreed with Shobe.
“The connection through to the Jamaica is going to be really nice,” Crook said. “We’ve been riding through the streets here, Seventh Street, for years, and now we can go through a park.”
Shobe said a park like this could help attract newcomers to the city and bring in tourists while also improving the quality of life for those who live here.
“This is one of those things, like little dominoes, that builds to our community,” he said. “And with the downtown area growing as a residential community, having a neighborhood park will be extraordinarily beneficial.”
