ON JUNE 20TH. LAST NIGHT’S HAILSTORM DAMAGED HOMES AND CARS ACROSS THE METRO AND ALSO DESTROYED THE ROOF ON A HISTORIC OMAHA GREENHOUSE. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN SEAN MCKINNON MCKINNON HAS WHAT THE LATEST HEADACHE IS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. SEAN ROB. THIS GREENHOUSE HELPS SUPPLY THE PLANTS TO KEEP OMAHA BEAUTIFUL. THE CITY’S PARKS DEPARTMENT HOPES THE DAMAGE TO THEM IS LIMITED. WE GOT TO WORK THIS MORNING, AND AS IF WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WINDS AND FLOODS. AND THEN NOW WE’VE GOT THIS TO DEAL WITH. WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S HAIL STORM DESTROYED THE GLASS ROOF OF THE HANSCOM PARK GREENHOUSE. IT’S MORE THAN A CENTURY OLD, AND IT’S HOME TO THE FLOWERS AND PLANTS YOU CAN SEE AROUND OMAHA. IF PEOPLE ARE USED TO SEEING ALL THOSE PLANTED BEDS AROUND TOWN WITH THE PERENNIALS AND THE ANNUALS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED. PARKS EMPLOYEES GRABBED AS MANY PLANTS AS THEY COULD. THEY CAN’T GO INSIDE BECAUSE DAWES SHARDS OF GLASS FALL WITH EVERY GUST OF WIND. WE’VE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL SURPRISES THIS YEAR, SO. SO ADD THIS ONE TO THE LIST IN THE FIELD CLUB NEIGHBORHOOD, AN AREA THAT’S ALREADY BEEN HIT BY HAILSTORMS IN RECENT YEARS, HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING AT THEIR ROOFS AND JUST HOPING FOR THE BEST. I DON’T KNOW, I MEAN, I GOT I HOPE NOT, BUT, UH, WE’LL WE’LL WORK WITH, UH, OUR INSURANCE AGENT AND, UH, AND HOPEFULLY IT WON’T BE TOO MUCH OF A PROCESS. I, I DON’T KNOW, I HOPE HOPE NOT. UH, IF YOU SEE DAMAGE ON YOUR GUTTERS, A BUNCH OF DENTS. UM, WE SAW IT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THAT HOUSE. YOU PROBABLY GOT SOME SERIOUS HAIL DAMAGE. PETE BRINKS SAYS IT’S ANOTHER EXCUSE FOR HIM TO PUT THE KIDS HANGING OUT ON HIS BLOCK TO WORK. THEY GET TO PICK UP LEAVES TWICE THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, GET PRACTICE FOR THE FALL BREAK. GREW UP WATCHING THUNDERSTORMS IN YORK, NEBRASKA. HE TELLS ME THEY’VE GOTTEN WORSE. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE DAMAGING STORMS A LOT LATELY. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HIRED OVERNIGHT SECURITY TO STOP ANYONE FROM BREAKING INTO THE GREENHOUSE. THEY’RE URGING PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY, BE AS GLASS AS YOU SAW IS STILL FALLING. RO
Advertisem*nt
Roof of Hanscom Park's historic greenhouse pulverized by hail
The greenhouse is home to 70,000 plants that go out to more than 300 locations around the city. With glass still falling from the ceiling, workers can't save the remaining plants inside.
Wednesday night's hail storm destroyed the roof of the more than a century old greenhouse in Hanscom Park."We got to work this morning, and as if we don't have enough things going on right now. Winds and floods, and then now we've got this to deal with," Dave Austin, supervisor of park operations, said.The flowers and plants you see around Omaha are grown in the greenhouse. "If people are used to seeing all those planted beds around town, the perennials and the annuals, then this is something we definitely need," Austin said.Parks and Rec employees saved as many plants as they could Thursday but they can't go inside because glass continues to fall with every wind gust."We've already had several surprises this year, so add this one to the list," Austin said.The greenhouse will have overnight security to prevent anyone from breaking in. Austin said they have plans in place to hopefully start clearing the broken glass on Monday.In the Field Club neighborhood, an area that's already been hit by hailstorms in recent years, homeowners are looking at their roofs and just hoping for the best."I don't know, I mean God, I hope not, but we'll work with our insurance agent, and hopefully, it won't be too much of a process. I don't know, I hope not," Pete Brink said."If you see hail damage on you gutters, we saw it on the west side of that house, you probably got some serious hail damage," David Baratta with Old World Craftsmen Nebraska said.Brink said it's a good excuse for him to put the neighborhood kids to work. "They get to pick up leaves twice this year. Good practice for the fall," he said.Brink grew up watching thunderstorms in York, Nebraska. He says they've gotten worse."It seems like there are damaging storms a lot lately," he said.
OMAHA, Neb. —
Wednesday night's hail storm destroyed the roof of the more than a century old greenhouse in Hanscom Park.
"We got to work this morning, and as if we don't have enough things going on right now. Winds and floods, and then now we've got this to deal with," Dave Austin, supervisor of park operations, said.
Advertisem*nt
The flowers and plants you see around Omaha are grown in the greenhouse.
"If people are used to seeing all those planted beds around town, the perennials and the annuals, then this is something we definitely need," Austin said.
Parks and Rec employees saved as many plants as they could Thursday but they can't go inside because glass continues to fall with every wind gust.
"We've already had several surprises this year, so add this one to the list," Austin said.
The greenhouse will have overnight security to prevent anyone from breaking in. Austin said they have plans in place to hopefully start clearing the broken glass on Monday.
In the Field Club neighborhood, an area that's already been hit by hailstorms in recent years, homeowners are looking at their roofs and just hoping for the best.
"I don't know, I mean God, I hope not, but we'll work with our insurance agent, and hopefully, it won't be too much of a process. I don't know, I hope not," Pete Brink said.
"If you see hail damage on you gutters, we saw it on the west side of that house, you probably got some serious hail damage," David Baratta with Old World Craftsmen Nebraska said.
Brink said it's a good excuse for him to put the neighborhood kids to work.
"They get to pick up leaves twice this year. Good practice for the fall," he said.
Brink grew up watching thunderstorms in York, Nebraska. He says they've gotten worse.
"It seems like there are damaging storms a lot lately," he said.
