Date:

May 20, 2002

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831
Lynn Johnson, Parks and Recreation Dept., 441-8265

Mayor Don Wesely and Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Johnson today unveiled a proposed new Master Plan for the Antelope Park Triangle, bordered roughly by South 27th Street, "A" Street and Capitol Parkway. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Folsom Children’s Zoo Board will have a joint public meeting on the proposed Master Plan at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23 at the Zoo entry plaza. The two Boards are being asked to endorse the Plan to set the stage for future improvements.

"The triangle is home to the Sunken Gardens, the Children’s Zoo, the rose garden, the teachers’ fountain and many more of Lincoln’s most beloved areas," said Mayor Wesely. "The master planning effort was intended to bring the many interests together to develop a collective vision that takes advantages of many opportunities for connections between activity areas."

Johnson said the Master Plan will guide future improvements and investments in the Antelope Park Triangle over the next ten or more years. Improvements included in the Master Plan are:

• Expansion and enhancement of the Sunken Gardens;
• Renovation of the Antelope Rose Garden;
• Enhancement of the Rotary strolling garden;
• The addition of area for future year-round outdoor education facilities associated with the Folsom Children’s Zoo and Botanical Gardens;
• Relocating the Lady Liberty statue to its former location at 27th and "A" streets;
• Upgrading the Billy Wolff Trail to meet current standards; and
• Additional parking.

The Master Plan was prepared over the past nine months through a process that included neighborhood associations, trails supporters, garden enthusiasts, historic preservation advocates and representatives of the Children’s Zoo, the Lincoln Rose Society, the Nebraska State Retired Teachers Association and Downtown Lincoln Rotary Club 14. The Parks and Recreation Department managed the project, and the Master Plan was prepared by the team of Bahr Vermeer Haecker Architects of Lincoln and The Big Muddy Workshop of Omaha.