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MEMORIES PAST, MEMORIES MADE “IT WAS NOTHING BUT ‘BUMVILLE’. LOTS OF CHEAP FLOPS, CHILI JOINTS, AND PAWN SHOPS.” -R YAN ROENFELD
Brian cited how he’s frequently brought his own family to the Mall to celebrate milestones and important events. Chief among them, when the area was christened “Gene Leahy Mall” in 1992. “My dad was a Korean War vet, so at the dedication ceremony they brought out the Color Guard and some of his war buddies spoke. He was so proud of it, and I remember he tried [so] hard not to get emotional, but he was. He had told the crowd ‘God, I’m so happy.’”
SEPTEMBER 2022 60 PLUS // 115 // memories visiting the mall and working downtown since the 1980s: “I remember going down there to watch fireworks for the [U.S.] Bicentennial celebration. You had a bunch of people out on the green on towels and blankets, and since the lagoon was at a lower altitude, once the fireworks went off this huge cloud of smoke and debris fell right on everyone. Everyone had to keep moving backward a little more, and then a l ittle more.”
Before the former mayor passed in 2000, Brian and his family had taken him to see Omaha’s Millennium Lights Celebration, later known as the Holiday Lights Festival. “He wasn’t doing so great, and he was in a wheelchair at the time, but we took him up to the top floor of the library to see the li ghts go up.”
The “Central Park” Mall and Plaza was envisioned to provide an experience comparable to the San Antonio River Walk or Hudson River Waterfront to Omaha: a romantic, urbane, and cosmopolitan public space. Yet, change is difficult. Brian Leahy, the mayor’s son, spoke about the concerns redeveloping the area initially drew. “My father loved local history, and had a hard time dealing with the knowledge they’d be taking down these old buildings.”
60+ NOSTALGIA // STORY BY JAMES VNUK // PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED // DESIGN BY RENEE' LUDWICK
As the space transitions, the Gene Leahy Mall will retain its name, but as a part of an expanded “At the Riverfront” space, including Heartland of America Park. The space is changing, but the spirit and mission carries on. As Brian said,“Regardless of what it looks like, the vision remains. The plan accomplished its goal. If my dad was here today to see the changes, I think he’d be tickled to death .”
he he first time I saw the Gene Leahy Mall, I was an adult visiting Omaha with my then-college girlfriend. We decided to tour the mall late one freezing evening the weekend before Christmas, having just enjoyed a romantic Italian dinner in the Old Market. I vividly recall standing on the footbridge, enjoying the view of the central park plaza under a moonlit sky reflecting softly off the lagoon, holiday lights glowing all around us. I grew up in Western Nebraska, and even then, I knew I had uncovered a fresh understanding one that would be reinforced and revisited time and again over the intervening 15 years. Omaha was a real city, with life, with culture, and all the things I had imagined only happening som ewhere else. I would learn much later that what seemed to me a timeless fixture of the city had been a relatively recent development.
Patti Hayden, David’s wife and fellow lifelong Omaha native, also waxed poetic about her favorite recollections. “I would play piano for Mercy High at their Christmas concerts, and I remember one year David came down with this van, and we took all of the nuns downtown to walk the mall and enjoy the lights,” Patti said. They were amused by the cheerful, somewhat silly image the memory painted a stark contrast to John Vachon’s earlier characterization of the space. “The decision to redefine those spaces made the city what it is today,” Dav id affirmed.
When the then-Central Park Mall was built in 1973, the land it sits on was in steep decline. As local historian and host of the monthly Wicked Omaha tour, Ryan Roenfeld, said via social media: “It was nothing but ‘Bumville.’ Lots of cheap flops, chili joints, and pawn shops.” Famed American photographer John Vachon even derogatorily referred to the area as “one of the ‘hobo’ centers of the West.”
When Mayor Eugene Leahy, along with city planner Alden Aust, set plans into motion to bring people “back to the river” in the late 1960s, revitalizing the area and its reputation were top priorities.
However, I think back to my initial experiences, and realize what a new place can mean. David Hayden, a lifelong Omaha resident, recalled a relationship to the mall similar to my own: “Even though I was a teenager when the mall went up, it felt like it had always been there.” David spoke fondly of his own T
The Uhlariks have been members of CrossFit Omaha for about 12 years. Head Coach and Director of Fitness Programs Stacie Tovar was a member before becom ing co-owner of the facility in 2016. She remembers being impressed with Uhlarik’s dedication and energy from the start. “Every time we ran, it was inevitable you had to run a hill at some point in the run.”
“And Frank, at his age, literally passed me. I had no juice; I could not go any faster, and was so mad about that. But I was like, ‘wow, that is incredible’” Tovar said. She admires Uhlarik’s commitment. “I actually want to be like Frank when I grow up,” she said.
Paula agrees, once telling: Frank “’You know I love you all the time, but I like you better when you work out.’ He’s like an Energizer Bunny.” Both believe CrossFit has strength ened their relationship. There are partner workouts, and the couple often teams up on the workout of the day. “Just as long as she doesn’t critique my form,” Uhlarik joked.
60+ ACTIVE LIVING // STORY BY TERRY JENSEN // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RENEE' LUDWICK
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“We had been here [CrossFit Omaha] seven or eight years when I was diagnosed in August of 2018,” Uhlarik said. Doctors supported his continuing workouts while undergoing treatment. “It sure helped me get through cancer by being healthy to begin with, and continuing to a level I could.”
“Healthy eating, fitness, social, all those ele ments stack up to help you fend off whatever comes your way, the best that you can,” he Forexplained.Uhlarik, that means he can now devote time and energy to what really matters. He considers his family his greatest success. “A successful marriage and three healthy, by all accounts happy, children and son-in-laws and six beautiful grandchildren…there’s really nothing else that really compares,” Uhlarik said. Visit bigomahafitn ess.com for more in formation.
workouts change daily, with members attending as often as they like. The Uhlariks try to workout four days a week. When trav eling, they visit another CrossFit location so they don’t miss too many days. They’ve visited facilities in Montana, Alabama, and Colorado, though like the instructors and environment at CrossFit Omaha best.
He believes the strengths he found through CrossFit helped him survive his cancer. “Not only the fitness aspects–the aerobic and the strength training–but in this environment we’ve learned a lot about dietary issues that we wouldn’t have otherwise come across.”
Finding a way to channel his energy hasn’t always been easy for Uhlarik.“I’m naturally anxious, I have anxiety. I’ve done medication in the past and I just didn’t care for that. But my best medication is here in the gym. “Being able to calm my mind and focus, and recognize that getting this thing done or that thing done, really...doesn’t matter,”
Uhlarik Ultimately,said.CrossFit helped Uhlarik find balance. “It’s state-of-mind, it’s healthy eating, it’s the fitness component, and the “Allcommunity.fourofthose, they vary by person. It kind of goes back to that anxiety issue. My wife can see it: if a couple of days, three, four, maybe a week for whatever reason I don’t get in the gym, she’ll say, ‘You need to go to the gym, Frank’ and it’s not because I’m necessarily unfit, it’s because she can see it in my behavior. That’s pretty revealing to me,” Uhlarik said.
“One of the ones I did for the first time this year is called a ‘Beer and Burpees’ event, where you’re required to chug a beer and do a series of burpees, which is a drop to the floor, jump up, clap your hands and go do it again. It’s quite the event, and people dress up in team costumes and whatnot. It’s a lot of fun,” Uhlarik said. By the time he received his cancer diagnosis, CrossFit was a way of life for Uhlarik.
The CrossFit community does more than work out. The Uhlariks enjoy the many social events that are an important part of the lifestyle. Every month, there are several opportunities to get together before or after CrossFit events. Frank Uhlarik got the news no one wants to hear back in 2018. Diagnosed with stagethree colon cancer, his treatment required surgery, followed by chemotherapy. His doctors were optimistic, due to Uhlarik’s passion for fitness. His physical constitution and commitment to nutrition gave him a fighting chance. For Uhlarik, fitness came naturally. As a boy, he camped and fished. In high school, he was on the wrestling team at Omaha Bryan, going on to wrestle for the Colorado School of Mines, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in geological engineering in 1984. Although Uhlarik’s career as Sustainability and Compliance Administrator for the City of Lincoln keeps him busy, spending time with his active family is a priority. Along with boating and fishing at their cabin in the Ozarks, Uhlarik and his wife, Paula, enjoy traveling. Favorite destinations include Washington State and Montana. This spring, they visited Hawaii for the first time. Staying active is a big focus in the Uhlarik’s marriage. They belonged to several gyms, health clubs, and kept workout equipment at home, though ultimately grew restless. Even working with personal trainers couldn’t keep them engaged for long. "We’ve always been active, and our kids were all active in sports and continue to this day. “But in 2009 or 2010 we kind of hit a dead zone, more or less. We were thinking, ‘Gosh, what’s something else we can do?’” Uhlarik explained. It was Paula Uhlarik who first discovered CrossFit. “My wife’s kind of the ring leadershe got us into it. She had an interest in the weight training portion. I like the aerobic work. I’m built for running. I’m not a heavy lifter,” Uhlarik said. They quickly discovered CrossFit classes combined gymnastics, weightlifting, and endurance training to create challenging workouts. The CrossFit lifestyle incorporates healthy nutrition and effective exercise to promote overa ll fitness. Intrigued, they attended a complimentary session.“They brought us through a workout and I about died. I think it was tough for Frank, too. But we decided to go that way, and we’ve been there ever since,” Paula said. It’s the variety of CrossFit that appeals to the Uhlariks. “There’s some things we can all do well, and some things we struggle with, but that’s the beauty of it. ‘Cause every day you can come in and look at the workout and adapt it to however you can achieve the results you’re seeking,” Frank said. CrossFit
“There were even a few occasions where I would come in with my pump, my chemo pump, and move as best as I could. I can tell you, that was challenging at times,” Uhlarik said. The CrossFit community also offered support.“Outside of wrestling in high school or college–the community, the connec tion, and the camaraderie–since then, I really haven’t encountered anything...like CrossFit,” Uhlarik said. Three years later, Uhlarik is still committed.“I actually get up in the morning and think, ‘I get to go to CrossFit today!’”
"It’s state-of-mind, it’s healthy eating, it’s the fitness component, and the community. All four of those, they var y by pe rson." -F rank Uhlarik The Perfect Fit Frank Uhlarik’s Crossfit Journey
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The
STORY BY NATALIE MCGOVERN // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RENEE' LUDWICK
A call to the Nebraska State Historical Society got the ball rolling to put it on the National Register of Historic Places. She soon had the Nebraska State Historic Site and Save America’s Treasures Project on board. Meigs found herself operating a 501c museum nonprofit
Florence Mill Is a Havenfor &ArtsHealing Project Serendipity
inda Meigs may be known as "The Mill Lady," around Omaha, but there’s more to this artist and preservationist than what meets the eye. She has a penchant for old things, including historic, abandoned buildings. What started as a passion project with the restoration of an 1846 mill built by Mormon leader Brigham Young became a journey loaded with American history, culture, and an intrig uing story. Meigs visited England in 1997, taking in its history, beauty, and architecture. During the trip, she mused how Americans travel overseas to experience arts and culture while locally built heritage often falls to the wrecking ball. After returning to Nebraska, she read an Omaha WorldHerald article titled “History for Sale.” The ruins of the old Florence Mill faced likely d emolition. L Then, on Valentine’s Day of 1998, she received a loaf of bread and a proposition from her husband, John Meigs, who worked in the local construction industry. As an architect, he was involved in the early restoration of the Orpheum and Union Station (now Durham Museum). The bread contained a purchase agreement offer on the Florence Mill. If she wanted it, he would stand with her. She accepted, and the rest w as history.
PROFILE60+
The Mill connects intersecting parts of Meigs’ life. Her interests include art, writing and illustrating a children’s book on Nebraska, preserving historic buildings, and collaborating on projects or community events. It’s also a haven for healing. John passed away about eight years ago, and a son in 2004. Art has been a creative outlet for her, and a place of solace to find deep er meaning.
a fun way.” During summer, Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., animals ranging from mules to goats and alpacas can be found at the event. The market attracts tourists and locals who appreciates the bucolic thin gs in life.
The venue also serves as hub for a farmers market, complete with an animal educational experience for children to “teach them about animal husbandry in
The Florence Mill’s seasonal events keep the memory of the Mill and the history of Winter Quarters alive. The annual Omaha North Hills Pottery Tour, featuring 22 nationally acclaimed clay artists, takes place the first weekend in October. The run completes a two-day excursion with the Mill serving as the “southern anchor” of the Tour. Sandy Kucera, who owns Too Far North Winery in Fort Calhoun, spoke to Meigs’ ingenuity and affinity for the project. “She’s a pioneer on the caretaking of the mill,” she said. Meigs restored the site and it now stands as a national landmark in the heart of Florence in North Omaha. "Things happen around here. Serendipity happens here,” she said nonchalantly. The Mill apparently took on a life of its own, as the connections to the past and future forge stronger with each event. A chance meeting with a journeyman from Utah trekking the Mormon Trail led her to host the 175th celebration of the Mormon Trail (and the Mill's 175th birthday) this past May, complete with a chuckwagon dinner, epic journey tales, and traditional folk music. Meigs eventually discovered her own connection to the mill, and its relation to the Florence community. The neighborhood, formerly a city, sits atop streets of Winter Quarters, where the Mormons first settled. North Omaha is steeped in rich Mormon Trail history, and the Mill is a historic remnant of that di stant past.
‟ I saw this preservation project as adding cultural potential to Omaha, the state and beyond” -Linda Meigs
Kucera has known Meigs for years and can attest to her close involvement in the Florence community as a steward of the historical landmark. Meigs’ work speaks for itself through many accolades and awards. Her figurative and landscape art exhibits have been featured nationally, regionally, a nd Lindalocally. Meigs’ legacy has many stories to tell, whether that be lost tales of the Mill or that of her own journey. Her projects expand beyond paintings, with years spent collecting recycled water bottles for a sculptural waterfall and meticulously hand-painted corn glassware. Of the many mediums she works with, Meigs includes various styles of art, including figurative, landscape, conventional, and even conceptual pieces. Her 2009 piece “Many Waters,” was instrumental to her growth and healing. The Mill in and of itself continues to serve as a sanctuary. “It feels very sacred” Meigs acknowledged about the building, its history etched in rustic wooden supports. A day spent picking thistles in the nearby brush affirms the ethereal healing energy the mill generates, surrounded by the tranquility of nature. The Florence Mill may be Meigs’ art and history installation, but it continues to serve as a profoundly historic beacon of Nebraska's settlement history. Visit theflorence mill.com for more information.
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60+ PRFOILE In their first summer of digging out debris and cleaning, 1,000 visitors showed up unexpectedly to see the Mormon timbers that stand inside the mill. It was not even supposed to be open to the public. Meigs decided the ruin must be turned into a space of historical preservation, particularly for Nebraska’s Pioneer Trail roots. "I saw this preservation project as adding cultural potential to Omaha, the state and beyond,” she said. The mill was then a condemned building cemented with decades of “dried pigeon excrement over the wood,” trash, animal decay, and fermented grain from years of being boarded up.
