Dundee neighbor leads plan to make Omaha's Memorial Park more accessible

OMAHA, Neb. — A plan is taking shape to make Memorial Park in Dundee more accessible to people.

Dundee neighbor and project manager Buey Ray Tut said accessibility is one of the challenges he sees at the park.

"Not being accessible, for that matter, I think, takes away so much of what the park means to the community at large," Ray Tut said.

Ray Tut reached out to Molly Romero, a board member of the Dundee-Memorial Park Neighborhood Association, about the issue.

"He said, 'Hey, this isn't accessible.' Oh, you're right," Romero said.

The project is currently in its first phase, and Ray Tut stressed that the plans remain preliminary.

One idea being considered would replace a staircase at the park with a ramp. A preliminary design has been created, but nothing has been finalized.

For Romero, improving accessibility would help more people experience a park that holds significance for the Dundee neighborhood.

"It's a place of tranquility, restoration," Romero said.

Ray Tut said the project also reflects a broader lesson about making a difference in the place you call home.

"If you want to bring about impact in the community that you live in, and you call home, is you take action," Ray Tut said.

Ray Tut said the goal is to finish the project's first phase and finalize the design by the end of 2026. Under the current timeline, construction would begin in 2027, with the project expected to be completed in 2028.

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