Omaha City Council approves funding for Lynch skatepark renovations

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - After nearly a decade, Lynch Park is getting a makeover.

Since 2018, It’s been a home to skaters after one local nonprofit decided to build a DIY skate park on top of old tennis courts.

“It came about because there were a couple of BMXer’s in the community who saw Lynch Park as a whole was kind of underutilized,” said Drew Newlin with Nebraska Public Skateparks Council.

Since then, Newlin has pushed the city to fund something safer.

“I can’t even begin to count how many young people especially in that community have picked up a skate board and started skate boarding in earnest because they saw other people skating and riding their bikes,” Newlin said.

In 2023, the city announced it would use millions of dollars in ARPA funds to improve Omaha parks. On Tuesday, Council Members approved $150,000 dollars of that to renovate the skate park.

“Skate parks are a great aspect for any community as our dog parks, golf courses, pools everything has it’s a place and we want to make sure all those groups are provided for,” said Matt Kalcevich, Director of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department.

This is in addition to $2.5 million dollars of those funds that will be used to give Lynch Park more green space and fix up its baseball field and basketball court.

“I can only imagine what renovations could do to this place,” Mat Hofman, skater said.

Mat Hofman was in Omaha on Tuesday for a work trip and decided to pay a visit here.

“It’s great,” Hofman said.

Being a long time skater, a new and improved skate park will give him a better reason to come back.

“Here in Omaha having something like this especially out of state is great,” Hofman said.

The city told 6 News renovations for the park will start at the end of this week. It will be done in phases starting with the baseball field, basketball court, and resurfacing.

Phase two will then be the skate park renovations.