Free fun for all at Gene Leahy Mall

     The reimagined Gene Leahy Mall has quickly become one of the most popular attractions in Omaha. It offers a variety of activities for visitors, from admiring the city view to sliding down favorite childhood slides. The blocks-long park, which starts at 1001 Douglas St. in downtown Omaha, and is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., makes a great place to visit  with family and friends without having to spend a single cent. It brings people together to create new connections and memories. 

     Seeing many families laughing and playing with their children, and groups of friends passing a ball around or sitting and talking, made me appreciate the park even more. After COVID struck, the world went into hiding. It felt like no one went outside for walks or to sit on benches to watch the time pass. The world felt useless, like we didn’t need it, like we’d rather spend our days inside playing video games or being on our phones. 

     When the park reopened last summer, after three years of construction, it immediately attracted visitors, who came to reconnect with the world and with each other. It brings people together physically instead of virtually, in a way that wasn’t possible three years ago. 

     Walking through the park, one can appreciate the smells, sounds, and sights, which makes it worth the visit. The smells come from the different food trucks parked on the streets, offering all types of foods, like hot chocolate and cookies for cold days, and hotdogs and ice cream for warm days, but those weren’t the only treats there. The paleteros, or street vendors, near the park entrance sell delicious traditional Mexican treats such as boiled corn topped with mayonnaise and cheese called elote, flavored popsicles, wagon wheel crisps called chicharrones with hot sauce, all sorts of drinks, and more. After grabbing a bite to eat, you can choose from a variety of seating options, including brightly colored tables, benches, lawn chairs around a gas-lit fire pit, hammocks, family-sized swings and more.

     After you finish your food, you can sneak in some games of ping pong or play soccer on the open grass field. The park is full of the sounds of children playing on the playground and the big orange arches that have obstacles to climb and play on. Under the arches is a jungle of hanging ropes and rock climbing walls. The sounds of skateboard wheels smacking the concrete floor from the group of skaters showing off their tricks, along with the kids laughing and arguing from the games they play fill the park. From the sand pit to the hills that invite you roll down them, there were kids running back and forth testing out all the new equipment the park had to offer. The big slides that have always been a landmark of the park are still standing tall in this area, including the lines to the slide that stretch down past the steps, still continuing to form. Next to the nostalgic slides are new smaller slides made of rolling cylinders, and in front of them are chairs and tables for watching kids zoom down the slides. The views of the city around the park are spectacular, and at night, when the sun sets, the park lights turn on and illuminate the structures, plus the lights from the towers surrounding the park make the Gene Leahy Mall a must-visit destination for anyone. Abstract art pieces and statues are placed throughout the park, adding to its charm. Under the Tenth Street bridge is a pond that stretches from the slides to the dog parks. There is also a display screen that lights up beautifully under the bridge, showing different images: for winter, a snowy background; for spring, a brick wall with hanging vines. The lake has ducks to feed and it welcomes remote control boats to race around. At the end of the lake are two dog parks with hills and tunnels for pets to play, separated by size for safety, making the park feel all-inclusive. The RiverFront schedules different events for the park on its website, such as morning yoga, band concerts, light shows, kid activities, etc. The park has become a regular go-to place for me and my family. Whenever we have the day off together, we spend it here to enjoy the outdoors. Plan on visiting this park over the summer to experience this wonderful place that Omaha has to offer.

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