A new park planned as part of the Antelope Valley Project will be named Union Plaza to recognize a $1.5 million gift from Union Bank and Trust Co., Mayor Chris Beutler said Thursday.
DEENA WINTER / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 7:00 pm
Fifth-graders from Elliott Elementary School wrote a hip, happenin’ song called “Look for the Good” and sang it for the mayor on Thursday morning.
“Look for the good, you’ll find it. In your neighborhood, don’t hide it,” the chorus goes.
Which seemed like an ample prelude to the mayor’s announcement that the parks department has been given the largest financial gift in its history to help build a huge park not far from those fifth-graders’ school.
With construction equipment grinding away on Antelope Valley in the background, Mayor Chris Beutler announced Union Bank and Trust’s $1.5 million donation toward the $7.9 million park. And he said the Elliott students’ song “could be the theme song for the city.”
During the planning stages, the park has informally been called the East Downtown Park and Lincoln’s Central Park. But it now has a formal name: Union Plaza.
The park will be built along Antelope Creek between 21st, 22nd, O and R streets. Construction will begin this summer and the park is slated to open in the fall of 2010.
The park will have four water features, play areas, and outdoor ampitheater, scenic overlook, trail connections, a pond plaza, festival areas and sculptures.
Lincoln is the headquarters for Union Bank.
“We have a strong desire to give back to the city that has allowed our bank to be so successful,” said Angie Muhleisen, president and CEO of Union Bank.
The city plans to help pay for $3.3 million of the park by using keno revenue. The Lincoln Parks Foundation has already raised more than half the remaining $4.6 million, which includes an endowment for maintenance costs.
Lincoln Parks Director Lynn Johnson said the park follows the model of urban parks being built nationwide.
“We hope that there’s much more music in this park in the future,” Johnson said.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.