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A look back at 75 years of Omaha's Memorial Park ahead of re-dedication ceremony

Posted at 5:45 PM, Jun 01, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-01 18:45:42-04

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — These days, Omaha's Memorial Park is enjoyed by many across the metro, but it started as a vision from Omaha residents over 75 years ago. Tiffany Regan with the Omaha Parks Foundation said thousands of people contributed small amounts of money to help fund the park.

“It was such a passion of them to see this happen,” Regan said.

The park was built to honor those in the Omaha area who gave the ultimate sacrifice defending the country during World War II. Once finished, its first dedication ceremony drew the attention of President Harry Truman in 1948.

Today, the love for the park continues, Brett Harmon, a groundsman for the Omaha Parks and Rec Department has been working tirelessly along with his team removing weeds and trimming up grass ahead of this weekend’s re-dedication ceremony. His motivation is the same as what the park honors.

“To be able to honor [those who died] with a beautiful area just seems important to me,” Harman said.

Now, the hope is that Omaha's love for the park is something that continues for the next 75 years.

“Generations have enjoyed this park and we just want to keep it for future generations to enjoy,” Regan said.

More improvements are coming to the park including new flagpoles and landscaping. The Re-dedication Ceremony is set for Sunday, June 4 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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