An area overlooked for nearly a century is now the crown jewel of the neighborhood.
"The kids, the adults can just come sit down and be proud of it."
Tom Haskall says he's lived in the Spring Lake Park area since 1997 and never really paid much attention to the park until today.
"I'm impressed with what they've done here."
Although Spring Lake Park looks good now Neighborhood President Janet Bonet says neighbors pushed for 15 years to get the city to rebuild it.
"We saw it was a trend for some place to dump on, and South Omaha is not a place to dump on."
Spring Lake Park had been without a lake since the 1930s, and the new lake serves a purpose.
It has underground pipes to provide sewer separation to the area through a storm and sanitary sewer pipe.
“To reduce overflow of the Missouri River, provide community benefits, yet still meet the regulatory water quality standards and reduce taxpayer money."
Mayor Jean Stothert says this new green solution saves the city millions.
"Here at Spring Lake we saved $5 million. It was about a $10 million project organizers say will take the community's effort to keep the lake clean and safe for wildlife.
"I hope they can maintain it and keep it going."
