Local Issues: Parks & Recreation

Rainwood Road to Remain Open

by Clyde Anderson
February, 2006

Friends of Cunningham Lake Coalition members rallied on January 22 to protest closure of Rainbow Road, the main access to the lake's east shore.

After fierce opposition from Sierra Club and others opposed to closure of the Rainwood Road access to the east shore of Cunningham Lake, proponent Walter Scott proposed a compromise.

At the Omaha City Council meeting January 24, John Boyer, the attorney for Scott's Centennial Farms, presented this compromise: Rainwood Road would remain permanently open, and that the segment of Rainwood Road leading to the lake be electronically gated from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Gating was an option that had been suggested by the Sierra Club. Centennial Farms also proposed establishment of a nighttime no-parking zone along Rainwood Road east of the gate, the addition of lighting to deter crime, improvement of the east shore recreational facilities, and rehabilitation of the park's east shore access road that connects with Rainwood Road. The Scott family may help pay for some of these improvements.

Mary Green, Missouri Valley Group's program chair, took the lead in opposing the closure of Rainwood. She organized the Friends of Cunningham Lake Coalition. In addition to Sierra Club, Lake Cunningham Hills Neighborhood Association, Crescent Outlaws Riding Group and Friends of Heron Haven, are members of the Coalition, as are many individuals.

David Stover of the Neighborhood Assn. said, “We want this lake to be kept up to the standards of the other Omaha area lakes.” The Sierra Club's Carole Larson said, “We all want the same thing – a lake and park where we can enjoy the beauties of nature without the problems of poor facilities, wild parties, and illegal activities.”

In the original plan pushed by Centennial Farms, which the Coalition opposed, there would have been a new road from Highway 36 to the east shore facilities, which would have had an adverse impact on one of the most natural and unspoiled areas of the lake.

Sierra Club is concerned that there may be minimal public involvement while the Omaha Parks & Recreation Department and the Scott family develop the “compromise” plans for Rainwood Road and the east shore facilities. Mary Green is talking to city officials in an attempt to ensure that there will be public input during the planning process. Once the plans are developed and then presented to the public, Parks & Recreation is often reluctant to make changes suggested by the public. Sierra Club believes that the process used for the design and construction of the Happy Hollow Trail through Dundee is a good model to follow.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to write or call your city councilmen and/or attend the City Council meetings. Without your involvement, Rainwood Road would be closed. For more information contact Mary Green at (402) 556-1830 or megreen4@cox.net, or Clyde Anderson at (402) 932-7225 or ClydeLAnderson@cox.net.

Local news crews were present at the rally, which featured Coalition speakers, a clean-up effort, and a walk-and-ride-a-thon.

This article originally appeared in the February 2006 issue of the Missouri Valley Sierran