OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — In this edition of the Morning Lift, 3 News Now's Zach Williamson moves over to the passenger seat, as Omaha Parks & Recreation Director Matt Kalcevich takes him for a ride through historic Memorial Park. It also plays host to the annual City of Omaha Memorial Park Concert & Fireworks Show that is set to take place Friday.
Kalcevich says the free concert and fireworks show draws between 50,000 - 70,000 neighbors each year. People come as early as 5 a.m. the morning of to reserve their spots with blankets. Click here for more information on what you can and can't bring to the concert to save your spot and to learn other helpful information about the concert.
Kalcevich and his team support more than 250 parks and facilities in Omaha. That includes community centers, pools and golf courses. Omaha Parks and Rec has 178 full-time employees and between 400 - 600 part-time employees depending on the season.
He says he thinks Memorial Parks is the best-known and most diverse park in the system. Kalcevich credits his team, the neighborhood, and volunteers for keeping the park and its garden in pristine shape.
The park celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2023. it 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 brought President Harry Truman to Omaha in 1948.
Kalcevich said he is very excited about the 20-year Master Plan to improve and create new parks. The goal is to create greater park accessibility to every neighbor in Omaha. He tells us Omaha Parks and Rec received more than 7,000 responses from the community about what's important to them and what they would like to see. He adds that he appreciates how many neighborhood parks we currently have in Omaha. 83 percent of people in the city live within a ten minute walk from a park.
He also tells us about the department's greenhouse team that produces tens of thousands of plants every year.
