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City Council Agenda 02/02/10

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Welcome! Attractions Vision Statement

Welcome to Gretna!

Welcome to the City of Gretna, one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Nebraska and truly a community of rich history. Originally spurred by the Burlington Northern Railroad, Gretna was founded in 1886 on 80 acres purchased from the Lincoln Land Company for the sum of $560. Gretna's growth now has been spurred by its location near Interstate 80, off of Highway 370 and 6/31. Nestled just ten miles southwest of Omaha, Gretna is a quiet community of established families, coupled with those new to the area. Gretna has the advantages of small-town living with the convenience of a major metropolitan area only minutes away. Many have moved to Gretna for its close proximity to Omaha and Lincoln, its small town atmosphere, and its exceptional school district. Gretna has gained national recognition and a reputation for providing fine educational opportunities. Those opportunities are complemented by honors in academic accreditation, high graduation rates, and a disciplined learning environment. Athletics and the arts are also highly acclaimed statewide, and more importantly, enthusiastically supported by this community. Go to www.gretnadragons.org for more information about our schools.

Our local chamber, the Gretna Area Chamber of Commerce, is supported by a strong business community that offers financial services, a grocery, pharmacy, day cares, hair care, and spa, video stores, automotive repair as well as a variety of shops at Nebraska Crossing Mall. Gretna also has an assisted living facility, several eating establishments, and an active senior center. Please visit www.gretnachamber.com for additional information. Medical services include family physicians, dental care, chiropractic, and physical therapy services, along with veterinary care for the family pet. The Chamber organizes a yearly celebration on the third weekend in July: Gretna Days.

Ten churches gather weekly for services at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, the Gretna United Methodist Church, Resurrection Lutheran Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Gretna Community Church, Gretna Baptist Church, Holy Family Shrine, Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church, Acts II Church, and Journey Church. The Church of Latter Day Saints is in the process of being planted. Our city offers a municipal pool, the Gretna Public Library (www.gretnapubliclibrary.org), and recreational facilities at several parks. Youth athletic leagues, a volunteer fire and rescue department and a variety of other organizations serve as testament to the small town values our residents treasure.

Welcome to Gretna!

Sincerely,
Mayor Sally McGuire

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (402) 944-2523

Located just off 1-80 at exit 426
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park offers year-round accommodations and recreational use. This ultra-modern park offers a spectacular array of lodging, group meeting facilities and activities. The dominate feature of the park, the Peter Kiewit Lodge which offers 40 guest rooms, sleeping lofts with fireplaces, as well as secluded cabins. Mahoney has a myriad of recreational activities which include 690 acres along the picturesque Platte River with a family aquatic center complete with zero depth swimming and wave pool and two 200-plus-foot curling water slides. Other activities include miniature golf, driving range, tennis and basketball courts, softball fields, horseback trail rides, fishing, picnicking, hiking, 70-foot observation tower, nature conservatory, the Denman and Mary Mallory Kountze Theater, hiking and biking and much more for everyone. www.ngpc.state.ne.us

Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari (402) 944-WILD or (402)-733-8401

Located just off 1-80 at exit 426
Experience a four-mile drive-through the North American wilderness Wildlife Safari (operated by the famous Henry Doorly Zoo of Omaha NE). Meet face to face encounters with elk, white-tailed deer, bison, pronghorn and other native wildlife. Although it is a zoo, it is the visitors who are confined in their vehicles or the Safari’s tram while the animals are free to roam about in their habitats. Explore the Wolf Canyon Overlook, a boarded walkway that spans 30 feet into the display allowing visitors to peer in on a pack and watch as they prowl and play. The road exits through the elk pasture to the visitor center where guests find interactive nature exhibits, small animal displays, gift shop and a walk-through aviary. www.omahazoo.com

Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium/Schramm State Recreation Area (402) 332-3901

Located about 6 miles south of 1-80 at exit 432
Schramm Park is a picturesque Platte River area and home of the exceptional Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium with excellent wooded habitats that teem with warblers during spring migration. Also the site of the state’s first fish hatchery (1882), the old hatch house is now a fish management museum. Picnic areas offer spectacular views of the countryside and five miles of trails, as well as an educational center with 12 viewing tanks and intriguing displays of native and introduced fish species.
www.nebraskabirdingtrails.com
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks

Strategic Air and Space Museum (402) 944-3100

Located just off 1-80 at exit 426, half mile west
The Strategic Air & Space Museum is regarded as the nation’s foremost facility of its kind. The $29.5 million museum is to preserve aircraft and missiles for future generations. It features a 300,000 square foot building that features a glass atrium, two aircraft display hangars, a traveling exhibit area, a children’s interactive gallery, and a 200 seat theater The glass atrium is a breathtaking structure constructed of 525 glass panels that encase the awesome Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
www.strategicairandspace.com

Vala’s Pumpkin Patch 12102 South 180 Street (402) 332-4200

Vala’s Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival offers an experience that defies explanation. It has grown into a 152 acre operation, with nearly 55 acres of pumpkins planted each year for one whirl-wind month when guests can have a spectacular experience. It’s a wholesome family entertainment destination that operates September through October of each year. This family experience offers tractor rides out to the pumpkin field to pick that one perfect pumpkin, train rides and pony rides. Themed attractions such as the Pumpkin Mine, Storybook Barn, Haunted House and the Spook Shed. Vala’s Pumpkin Patch is one of the most unique experiences offered in the Gretna area. It is a celebration of the harvest, a medley of bright colors and distinctive flavors. It’s the memories and traditions and a wholesome family destination that you don’t want to miss.
www.valaspumpkinpatch.com

Holy Family Shrine (402) 332-4565

Located just off 1-80 at exit 432, south of Hwy 31, the idea of the Holy Family Shrine was for travelers to pray and discover the Catholic faith. Visitors can experience the chapel façade as high as forty-nine feet, with the arching members of wood framing the stone entry. With an open view of the prairie and Platte Valley beyond, the image of the Holy Family appears like spirits in the heaven. The prairie grasses embrace the glass walls on all sides of the chapel. The sereneness of the gentle waving of the grain places the chapel as if in a cloud and surround the visitors with the natural gifts from God.
www.holyfamilyshrine.com

The citizens of Gretna will continue to promote our strong sense of community pride and caring by working to improve our quality of life through creative planning and providing excellent services to support future growth and opportunities.

For additional information on Gretna’s vision for the future, please click on the Planning & Permits tab for Gretna’s Comprehensive Strategic Plan adopted in February, 2009.