Updates coming for Schroeder Vogel Park following vandalism

By Alexandra Stone

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Tucked away off Saddle Creek and Pine, Schroeder Vogel isn’t one of the largest parks in town and perhaps not the best known in the neighborhood.

“You know, we also encompass Elmwood Park,” said Jen Bauer, president of the Aksarben Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association.

But Schoreder Vogel is a point of pride for many in the area; a place neighbors have spent their own time and effort to improve.

“This park has been kind of left out over the years, and it’s nice to see even today somebody playing basketball on the court, because we didn’t have that several years ago,” Bauer said.

According to Bauer, the neighborhood adopted the park years ago, utilizing largely grant money to make improvements from putting in playground equipment, to adding seating, installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant tables and some new grills.

Neighbors also come out monthly to clean up the park.

“All of those things in order to get people to utilize the park,” Bauer said.

Bauer said they have seen increased usage of Schroeder Vogel, but there’s also been some recent damage.

“We’ve had tags on the old sundog building. Very common,” Bauer said, “We had one of the umbrellas bent over. We’ve had several trees that have been broken and ripped out.”

“We had some vandalism there actually, unfortunately, but sometimes that’s a catalyst to start good conversations with people who really want to get involved and care about that space,” said Omaha director of Parks, Recreation and Property Matt Kalcevich.

Kalcevich said the conversation turned to removing the old, unused building at the park, formerly a camp program. It’s known by neighbors as the sundog building.

“And so by taking the sundog building out, it will allow the police to have vision into the park and we don’t have lighting, but they have spotlight so that might help the situation,” Bauer said.

According to Kalcevich, the city plans to take the building out soon, leaving an existing water line for flowerbeds and landscaping and looking at options for an open-air shelter for picnics and events.

“It sends a message that this is a family-friendly district and city that people care about their parks,” said city council member Danny Begley.

For the neighbors who take so much pride in this park, they’re excited to keep welcoming new visitors to Schroeder Vogel.

“You know, people are using it more,” Bauer said.

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