The Norfolkans currently involved in the North Fork Development Project aren't the first to recognize the recreational and commercial potential in the Elkhorn and North Fork rivers.
Back in the mid-1970s, a number of entities - including the the City of Norfolk and Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District - developed a similar plan. It incorporated a long portion of the rivers and used a series of small parks and open spaces to link the city with the North Fork and Elkhorn rivers.
Included were areas for picnicking, canoeing, camping, swimming, boating, as well as walking and cycling trails, ball fields, swimming pool, tennis courts, playgrounds, paddleboats and much more.
"It was very ambitious," said Stan Staab, director of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District in Norfolk.
While Staab wasn't involved with the project, he said there are still boxes of files about the project at the NRD office.
At the time, officials applied for and received grant funds to develop the plan. A number of hearings were held and it "appeared that the public was very supportive," Staab said.
"This was no wild dream," said Jim Miller during a recent meeting of the North Fork Development Project.
Miller, who was mayor of Norfolk at the time, said community leaders and citizens recognized the opportunity the rivers provided back in 1974, "and it is very, very viable today."
Unlike the current proposal, which includes commercial and residential space, the 1970s proposal was geared toward recreation.
For instance, developers planned to put a civic center near Norfolk Avenue and First Street and an amphitheater in Johnson Park.
A children's farm would have included animals as well as displays of farm equipment. More animals would have been on display in the zoo at Ta-ha-zouka Park.
Plus, another 60 acres would have been added to Ta-ha-zouka Park to make it big enough to accommodate a lake for fishing.
The "West Elkhorn Park," an extension of Ta-ha-zouka Park, was to have "two of the most desired recreational activities" - a swimming beach and a motocross course.
The popularity of those two facilities was determined by a survey that was conducted before the plan was developed.
A horseback riding trail was to have started at the park, also.
In addition, developers proposed a 300- to 500-acre nature center that would house exhibits for display and study.
Back in 1974, developers estimated the project would cost just under $5 million. Funding was to come from the City of Norfolk, Lower Elkhorn NRD, Madison County, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
So why was the ambitious plan never implemented?
"The city did good things as far as acquiring that property," Staab said. "But the district (NRD) was busy building Maskenthine Lake and Willow Creek recreation areas . . . and things just kind of stalled out."
But Staab is pleased that the plan has been resurrected.
"We're looking for something we, as a community, can work on together," he said.
Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Article comment by:
Samantha Focken
Great idea. This town definately needs something to bring us together, but some of the things that are proposed in this plan are boring! Animals, and farm equipment? Let's do something that would actually draw a crowd! If we are going to spend that much money. I wouldn't go see that place more than once. Something beautiful, like stone art! Or water features. I like the idea of the courts and activities along the trail.
