River Revitalization Foundation

Our 2014 Summer Crew made a movie!!!

2014-08-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

Our 2014 Summer Crew made a movie!!!

Small Battles

The tale of the complications of Ninja Derrick and his foes and their mission of restoration on the Milwaukee River and how they met their ends.

Starring: Mikel Thompson, Emmanuel Williams, Jumal Lipscomb, Donald Dupree, Deonte Reed, Alisakah Bishop, Derrick Bishop, Sean Clements, Zykeria Strowder, Marcell, McCoy, Ellie Kirkwood, and Tanya Bueter

Directed and Produced by: Eric Grycan

Music by: Marcell McCoy

20th Anniversary: Picnic in the Park

2014-08-05T12:50:00.001-05:00

EXTENDED DEADLINE!! RSVP by August 25!

To buy tickets online click HERE

To RSVP to this event you can print and mail in this document or purchase your tickets online

The Spring Newsletter is Here!!!!

2013-03-25T15:41:00.000-05:00

Find out what we've been up to, events for this spring, and how you can get involved......click here for RRF's Spring Newsletter

Land Trust of the Year!

2012-07-12T11:24:00.001-05:00

RRF named Land Trust of the Year

by Gathering Waters Conservancy!

We are honored to be named Land Trust of the Year by Gathering Waters Conservancy's 2012 Land Conservation Leadership Awards!

The Land Conservation Leadership Awards are given to individuals and organizations to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of individuals, policy makers, and land trusts who are working to protect the places that make Wisconsin special. The awards honor the power of committed citizens and offer inspiring examples of conservation success. We are thrilled to be a part of this years award winners. Thank you to all of our wonderful partners, supporters, and volunteers, as you are each instrumental in RRf receiving this award! Congrats to the other award winners this year! We are in great company!

Land Trust of the Year – River Revitalization Foundation, Milwaukee’s urban rivers land trust since 1994, has increased public access to Milwaukee’s rivers and enhanced the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Its partnerships throughout the community provide opportunities for immersion into the natural world, educate about conservation in an urban setting, and illustrate the synergy between land conservation an urban development.

Policy Maker of the Year – John Koepke, a member of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection board, as well as the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Council, has championed efforts to promote and defend the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative. His committed actions and voice as a farmer from Oconomowoc have proved invaluable to farmland protection in Wisconsin.

Rod Nilsestuen Award for Working Lands Preservation – Dale Katsma, Department of Natural Resources Area Wildlife Supervisor in Plymouth, has spent the last decade quietly and successfully pioneering working lands preservation. His patient and persistent efforts to build relationships and trust between the DNR, landowners, and other conservation groups have played a pivotal role in the protection of 1,887 acres of farmland and 684 acres of wildlife habitat & natural areas in southeastern Wisconsin.

Conservationist of the Year – Ellen Kwiatkowski, the Executive Director of Bayfield Regional Conservancy, a valuable asset to the state’s PACE Council, chair of Wisconsin’s Land Trust Council, and co-owner of an easement-protected farm, has been an essential player in the permanent protection of over 1000 acres of land throughout northern Wisconsin and in successfully leading BRC through the national land trust accreditation process.

Harold “Bud” Jordahl Land Trust Pioneer Award – The Ridges Sanctuary celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and was the first land trust in Wisconsin. Inspiring stewardship of natural areas through educational programs, outreach and research, The Ridges can undoubtedly be credited for positively impacting the history of land conservation throughout the state and laying groundwork for future conservation efforts throughout the Door Peninsula and beyond.

***Save the date for the Land Conservation Leadership Awards Celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 on Thursday, October 4th at the Monona Terrace in Madison***

Greater Milwaukee Foundation Awards $45K to RRF

2012-06-29T11:36:00.000-05:00

Greater Milwaukee Foundation Awards $45,000 grant for public access improvements in the Milwaukee River Corridor

A $45,000 grant to the River Revitalization Foundation will help its work toward closing a critical gap that exists in a 13-mile shared use trail within the Milwaukee River Greenway.

The grant supports the construction of one mile of trail along a parcel of land just north of Capitol Drive that was a former landfill. The land runs along the site of the Milwaukee Area Technical College’s solar voltaic farm. The money will fund habitat restoration, public education and support student and volunteer work crews.

Read the press release here.

2011-10-18T14:45:00.002-05:00

Kiwanis Club of Milwaukee Pledges $100,000 to RRF's Greenway Gateway Project!

2011-09-28T14:43:00.007-05:00

Kiwanis Club of Milwaukee recently presented a check to RRF in the amount of $100,000 for the naming of the soon-to-be improved canoe launch, Kiwanis Landing, on the Greenway Gateway property. The $100,000 will go towards the acquisition of the property. RRF continues to restore the property, which provides public access to additional greenspace in the heart of Milwaukee.

The Kiwanis Club of Milwaukee, a "flagship club", in a worldwide service organization is committed to improve the Greater Milwaukee community, especially for youth, through volunteer resources and action. Their commitment to projects, such as the Greenway Gateway, is key to creating a healthy, vibrant community for Milwaukee residents.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Kiwanis Club for your generous support of the Greenway Gateway restoration project.

Thank You MillerCoors Volunteers!

2011-09-16T12:29:00.008-05:00

A huge THANK YOU goes out to the MillerCoors volunteers who came out not once, but TWICE, to help RRF staff install a pollinator garden on the Greenway Gateway Property earlier this week!

It was a beautiful fall afternoon to plant some native flowers, grasses, and trees in the Greenway Gateway. Site prep, materials, and plants were paid for using the funds we received as part of the MillerCoors River Network grant. The garden will help reduce stormwater run-off, improve soil conditions, and improve the aesthetics of the area. Check out more pics from the afternoon below.......

TA-DA!!!!

Gathering Waters Conservancy Highlights RRF Wheelhouse Project

2011-08-29T11:23:00.003-05:00

Gathering Waters Conservancy , Wisconsin's statewide service center for the land trust community, is highlighting RRF's Greenway Gateway restoration project as part of their "Land Trust Stories" series. Check out the story here!

Thank you to all the GWC folks who put this together!

Quest Clues #7 to #12

2011-08-28T13:24:00.001-05:00

Click on Quest Clue Then Click on Image

Quest Clues #1 to #6

2011-08-28T11:59:00.000-05:00

Click #1

then click on images.

Greenway Gateway Update

2011-03-14T10:04:00.002-05:00

Updates on the Greenway Gateway

Demolition at the Wheelhouse has Begun!!!

DAY 1 (11/03/2010)

Demolition of the Wheelhouse has finally started and, WOW, are we excited! Over the next 2 weeks you'll see the building and parking lots slowly disappear in order to get the space ready for transformation to a new park. Stay tuned for daily posts on our Facebook page! Thanks to everyone who has helped us get to this point in the project! And if you want to help RRF complete the restoration please consider a donation to help with seeding, plants, and trail work.

Day 2 of Demolition

DAY 2 (11/4/2010)

It's amazing how little time it takes to dismantle a building. By noon yesterday the demolition crew had almost the entire building down, and you could easily visualize the greenspace that will soon replace this paved parking lot. Parking lots come out tomorrow. Stay tuned!

And then there was greenspace...

DAY 3 (11/5/2010)

...Well, not quite greenspace yet. But it will be! The Wheelhouse building and parking lots are officially gone. The 2.8 acre parcel will be graded and seeded with a winter cover crop until we can get in there this spring to start restoration work. If you have a chance stop by the site and check out the new, unobstructed view of the Milwaukee River.

What's Next?

Thanks to a DNR Capacity Grant, RRF is in the process of completing site plans for the restoration of the wheelhouse into the "Greenway Gateway". In December of 2010, RRF hosted the first of three stakeholder meetings to present preliminary conceptual designs to local neighbors, businesses, and agency employees. The meeting was a great success, and we are working to incorporate the feedback we received from the meeting.

Press Coverage:

Property Map

August, 26th, 2011---A huge THANK YOU goes out to the MillerCoors volunteers who came out not once, but TWICE, to help RRF staff install a pollinator garden on the Greenway Gateway Property earlier this week!

It was a beautiful fall afternoon to plant some native flowers, grasses, and trees in the Greenway Gateway. Site prep, materials, and plants were paid for using the funds we received as part of the MillerCoors River Network grant. The garden will help reduce stormwater run-off, improve soil conditions, and improve the aesthetics of the area. Check out more pics from the afternoon below.......

TA-DA!!!!

RRF Biennial Report

2009-12-04T15:59:00.001-06:00

RRF Biennial Report 2008

"Take a Hike!" & the Milwaukee River Quest

2009-12-04T14:34:00.000-06:00

In the summer of 2008 and 2009 RRF joined with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett’s Earn and Learn Program.The result was the opportunity for city youth to be employed 20 hours a week, for seven weeks over the last two summers.The program, run by Milwaukee Area Work Force Investment Board, strives to teach the basics of having a job as well as providing work experience, an opportunity not had by many youth.

Working in conjunction with job skills training, RRF’s goal is to expose workers to the natural world. The goal is to teach workers about native and non-native plant species so that they can assist RRF in natural landscape restoration as well as transfer conservation knowledge and skills to a new generation.

Throughout the seven weeks, the workers learn to identify plants, remove non-natives and plant native species. To complement their restoration work in the valley, the workers are challenged to create and lead their own trail hikes to demonstrate what they have learned not only about the natural species of the valley but the history of human interaction and use of the land in the past. Photography, drawing, map creation and graphic layout are also tasks associated with their summer work.

This connection of the natural environment with learning the history of the valley is vital for our summer workers. It encourages the workers to develop not only a sense of place in our public lands, but encourages stewardship in their futures. This outcome and this publication (the cover featured above) is the direct result of their efforts.

Take a Hike Publication
The "Take a Hike!" publication is an eight-page tabloid sized document that will be distributed in the area surrounding the Milwaukee River in Spring of 2010. Within the newspaper style document are the trail guides, stories and hand-drawn plant species guides, trail maps, and diagrams of RRF's summer Earn & Learn Crew.

Milwaukee River Quest
The Milwaukee River Quest is outdoor hike based on the trail guides written by our summer work crews. Written in to the trail guides are is information regarding the placement of 12 informational signs within the Milwaukee River corridor from Locust Street to North Avenue on both banks of the river. The quest is designed for all who enjoy hiking, learning something new about the river, its adjacent lands and their history. It is recommended for grade school aged children in groups of 4-6 with the assistance of an adult to help interpret directions.

As you follow the trail guide it leads you on a quest to find the 12 signs as well as the plant species and "quest clues" that are written on them. (see example sign) Collect the "quest clues" and write them in the spaces provided in the publication. Once the quest is completed, the hiker may visit the River Quest section of our website to discover more information about the clues they collected. After verification of the the correct quest clues via an online quiz, the hiker will have the opportunity to submit their quest results for a free pass to a local museum or an embroidered patch.

New Park and Trail Developing On Wheelhouse Site

2009-12-03T15:10:00.000-06:00

On December 17th, after almost 10 years of negotiation, RRF closed on the Wheelhouse Property. To find out more information please read our press release below or visit the following links to articles from the local press. If you would be interested in donating, please visit our Donation page.

Press Coverage:

12/18/2009 - Business Journal of Milwaukee: Wheelhouse Restaurant Property Sold to Land Trust

12/18/2009 - JSOnline:Abandoned Wheelhouse Property to Become Riverfront Park

9/27/2009 - JSOnline: Funding Sought to turn Melanec's Wheelhouse Site into Riverfront Park

Press Release:

August 13, 2010

Visit the Wheelhouse site to see the progress on trail construction. New trails have been added by RRF Earn and Learn Summer crew. Pause a moment on the benches built by our crew.

The Beerline Bike trail will be pass by the wheelhouse by the end of September. We will be having events soon!!!

December 17th, 2009

The River Revitalization Foundation, Milwaukee's urban rivers land trust, has purchased 2.8 acres of land located along the Milwaukee River on the east side of the City of Milwaukee. The project will restore blighted urban riverfront land to preserved green space, increase shoreline stabilization and floodplain protection, provide a public access linkage to adjacent Milwaukee County parks and trails, protect Butler 's Garter Snake habitat and provide multiple recreational opportunities. The Foundation received a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Stewardship grant award in the amount of $700,000 for the acquisition. An additional $400,000 easement purchase through the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's Greenseams program is a partial match to the DNR grant.

The site's approximately 642 feet of frontage along the Milwaukee River will connect to the planned “Beerline” segment of the Milwaukee County Park 's Oak Leaf Trail System and the North Avenue pedestrian bridge extending over the river to Caesar's Park and the East Bank Trail. The property is primarily a developed site that includes an abandoned building (formerly the Melanec's Wheelhouse restaurant) and impervious parking lots, both of which will be removed by the Foundation as part of the restoration. The finished product will include improved public access for low impact recreational activities including fishing, hiking, and access to adjoining trails that will also provide biking and cross-country skiing. Proposed plans also include a non-motorized boat launch.

The River Revitalization Foundation will retain ownership but will manage the property in a manner consistent with the park management policies of Milwaukee County . Public information meetings will be scheduled in 2010 inviting comment for site planning for the new park.

“We and our partners are excited and proud to have secured this property for Milwaukee and Wisconsin 's future,” said Foundation President Chris Jaekels. “Its strategic location and natural attributes will enable the Foundation to help improve water quality, add scenic beauty to the neighborhood, and provide recreational and educational opportunities for the community,” he added. With this acquisition, the foundation has protected 10 acres within Milwaukee 's environmental corridor.

Donations are being sought and accepted for the remaining $300,000 in acquisition costs and for additional expenses including demolition and habitat restoration. Visit www.riverrevitalizationfoundation.org for more details.

The Beerline Trail is Open!

2009-12-03T09:44:00.000-06:00

It's finally complete! RRF celebrated the opening of the Beerline Trail this week with Milwaukee County Parks, UWM, and community members at Stubby's Pub and Grub on Humboldt Ave. Check out the link below to see some great photos of the evening, thanks to Jeff Baudry of County Parks.

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d546b314e546b784d7a4e384d5459784e4445314f544d3d0d0a&sb=1

North Avenue Dam Pedestrian Bridge

2009-10-14T11:53:00.001-05:00

Pedestrian Bridge over the remnants of the North Avenue dam linking Caesar’s Park and the west bank of the river at the dam.

Map of Location:

View North Avenue Dam Pedestrian Bridge in a larger map

East Bank Trail

2009-10-14T11:49:00.000-05:00

Overview:
On Wednesday, July 26, RRF and partners dedicated a new ADA-accessible walking trail that will allow better access to the Milwaukee River in one of the most densely populated areas of the city. The East Bank Trail is a soft pedestrian trail on the East bank of the Milwaukee River, linking Caesar's Park on the South to Riverside Park and the Urban Ecology Center on the North. It is part of a larger loop of pedestrian and paved trails called the 'Beerline Loop' that extends from Commerce Street up to Locust Street on both sides of the river and will create alternative transportation options and recreational opportunities for neighborhood residents and visitors.

"By creating this new East Bank Trail with our partners, we are protecting the environmentally sensitive wetland area along the river that people were previously accessing on an unmanaged, unauthorized path," says Kimberly Gleffe, Executive Director of River Revitalization Foundation. "Also, neighbors and visitors can now enjoy an easier and more reliable walking path that won't flood out every time it rains."

The Milwaukee River is a nationally recognized environmental jewel that River Revitalization Foundation is working to preserve and protect for future generations to enjoy. A new public art installation of two, Native American-inspired turtles constructed in concrete, tile, and steel designed by Marina Lee and Chris Leslie, two Riverwest artists, are featured at each end of the trail, commemorating the completion of the trail and recognition of donors to the trail project.

Partners in the project:
Wisconsin Coastal Management Program; Milwaukee County Parks;
City of Milwaukee; National Park Service Rivers & Trails; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; private landowners; youth from the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program; Washington High School students placed through United Water’s Internship Program; and additional crew hired through a grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

Map of Area:

View Milwaukee River Valley in a larger map

EVENTS

2009-10-14T11:34:00.144-05:00

SPRING EVENTS

.....Check back soon for upcoming spring events!

Beer Line Trail Loop

2009-10-14T11:28:00.000-05:00

Overview:
Milwaukee County Parks Department was awarded $320,000 from DOT federal highway funds toward a $400,000 conversion of the Beerline right-of-way to a bike trail. The River Revitalization Foundation raised the 20% matching funds as the local sponsor, or $80,000. Milwaukee County will work with RRF and local property owners to build this trail linking Gordon Park and Riverwest to Commerce Street, connecting under the North Avenue bridge. This trail will help preserve the invaluable natural area along the Milwaukee River north of North Avenue while providing links to the adjacent neighborhoods, to the newly developing residential area south of North Avenue, and to downtown.

Historical Perspective
Historically, this section of the Milwaukee River Valley was a focal point of commerce and recreation with swimming, boating and ice-skating as major uses. For the last half century, the city turned away from the river because it was severely polluted. The recent removal of the dam at North Avenue combined with water quality improvement efforts throughout the river basin, has resulted in improved water quality and changing attitudes. The river’s edge is now a desirable real estate location and its vegetated buffer is threatened with residential and commercial development as housing moves up the Milwaukee River from downtown. Building this trail will help preserve the invaluable natural area along the Milwaukee River north of North Avenue while providing links to the adjacent neighborhoods, to the newly developing residential area south of North Avenue, and to downtown.

Trail Benefits
The trail will contribute to improving the neighborhood’s overall quality of life. Neighbors will have a public open space in which to meet, chat, and enjoy the quiet. Residents will gain pleasant and safe access to downtown for commuting to work and to recreational activities; students will gain safe access to schools and parks.

Community health will improve
The proximity of the trail to the high density Riverwest Neighborhood will encourage residents to increase their physical activity; this can result in improved individual and community health as well as a reduced public health burden. Fewer people will rely on their cars, so the air will be cleaner.

The local economy will improve
Visitors from other neighborhoods and tourists are likely to visit the area as they explore downtown and Milwaukee River environs, opting to visit shops and restaurants on Center Street. Property values near the trail will likely increase as the bike path becomes a desirable public asset.

Natural and historical areas will be preserved and interpreted
The trail will contribute to the community’s overall goal of preserving the natural area buffering the Milwaukee River, an excellent area for birding and nature study. The trail will also be a good place to learn about the rich history of the Milwaukee River. We’ll creatively incorporate history and nature into trailside amenities.

Trail Basics

Location:
The proposed trail will be located on an abandoned railroad right-of-way formerly known as the “Beerline” in the City of Milwaukee. The project is bounded by Locust Street on the north, Humboldt Boulevard on the west, North Avenue on the south, and the Milwaukee River corridor on the east.

Length: 4,000’
Width: 10’
Surface Materials: asphalt

Connections:
The segment of the Beerline to be converted to bike trail is situated at the crossroads between the Riverwest and UWM/North Shore suburban neighborhoods and the City of Milwaukee Downtown area. The proposed trail will facilitate non-motorized travel between those destinations by connecting with:

Existing City of Milwaukee bike routes on Humboldt Boulevard, Locust Street and North Avenue
Planned City of Milwaukee off-street paths in the railroad corridor to the northwest of the subject trail and extending into the Downtown area at the southern end of the trail
Milwaukee County’s Oak Leaf Trail, which is located on the east side of the Milwaukee River and connects numerous parkways and park sites.

Current Status and Links
Milwaukee County received $320,000 from federal highway funds for a $400,000 conversion of the Beerline right-of-way to a bike trail. The River Revitalization Foundation (RRF) has raised the 20% matching funds as the local sponsor, or $80,000. Milwaukee County will work with RRF and local property owners to build this trail linking Gordon Park and Riverwest to Commerce Street. The DNR awarded RRF with a Stewardship grant of $200,000 to cost share in the land acquisition along the Milwaukee River from Gordon Park to Wright Street. RRF purchased a section of the rail corridor and will transfer this land to the County Parks Department. Acquiring and preserving this nearly 5-acre property for public access and trails will also help protect the river valley. A land swap will complete the contiguous corridor needed to develop the trail.

How You Can Support this effort
Collectively these benefits create an overwhelming reason to support the Beerline Trail. To add your support, contact the Kimberely Gleffe at kgleffe@riverrevitalizationfoundation.org or 414.271.8000

Earn and Learn Program

2009-10-14T11:25:00.001-05:00

Overview:
Over the last two years, RRF has partnered to bring Washington High School interns and young workers with the City Earn & Learn program into river valley to teach them about ecological restoration. Students were mentored by RRF staff and United Water employees giving them exposure to environmental careers at their early age.

Accomplishments:
Thanks to students enrolled in the Earn & Learn program and Inland Seas School of Expeditionary Learning , the Milwaukee River valley has a different look. Many invasive species were removed and native species planted in their place. Restoration occurred along the Beerline corridor, East Bank Trail, and at our Brown Deer site.

Acknowledgments: Thank you to our summer work crews and our generous donors:

Helen Bader Foundation
Northwestern Mutual Foundation
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

2009-10-13T15:03:00.001-05:00

Grant revenue is critical to our mission and directly supports the implementation of RRF's mission through:

Conservation – costs associated with land purchase, land protection planning as Milwaukee’s urban rivers land trust
Restoration – removal of harmful invasive plant species and planting of native trees and plants on our conserved properties, improving habitat and water quality
Education - Ecological Restoration summer crew – “Earn & Learn” program participants, River Quests and volunteer engagement
Public Access – trails and plans to connect communities and people to the river valley

Grants awarded to support our urban conservation, river protection efforts include:

The Joyce Foundation $210,000 (over three years)
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources $75,000
Helen Bader Foundation $20,000
Wisconsin Energy Corporation Foundation $10,000
Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation $7,000

Recent Grant News:

Fund for Lake Michigan awards $65,000 to RRF for Restoration Planning at Granville County Dog Park
April 30, 2012--RRF was recently awarded a grant for $65,000 from the Fund for Lake Michigan to conduct initial planning, feasibility, and outreach for a streambank stabilization project at Granville county Park. Work will include coordination of stakeholder meetings, outreach to a diverse group of users, and facilitation of planning and design work for implementation of streambank restoration. While RRF is the lead on this project, key partners include Milwaukee County Parks and Residents for Off-Leash Milwaukee Parks (ROMP).

Granville County Park, nestled between W. Good Hope Rd and HWY 145, is a 26-acre off-leash dog park that runs along the upper reaches of the Menomonee River. After almost a decade of heavy traffic by dogs and their owners, the streambank is in poor condition from heavy erosion, resulting in the loss of an estimated 200 cubic yards of fine-grained sediments over the lateral distances of up to 30 feet.

The Fund for Lake Michigan (the Fund) was established in conjunction with the resolution in 2008 of disputes concerning the Oak Creek Power Plant and Elm Road Generating Station in southeastern Wisconsin. The agreement establishing the Fund provided for payments of four million dollars each year from 2011 through 2035 to fund projects to address, reduce and mitigate water quality impacts in Lake Michigan. The mission of the Fund for Lake Michigan is to support efforts, and in particular those in southeastern Wisconsin, that enhance the health of Lake Michigan, its shoreline and tributary river systems for the benefit of the people, plants and animals that depend upon the system for water, recreation and commerce.

Greater Milwaukee Foundation grant improves public access to Milwaukee River corridorGrant part of nearly $310,000 awarded during second quarter competitive grantmaking
Milwaukee, WI – June 29, 2012 – A $45,000 grant to the River Revitalization Foundation will help its work toward closing a critical gap that exists in a 13-mile shared use trail within the Milwaukee River greenway.
The grant supports the construction of one mile of trail along a parcel of land just north of Capitol Drive that was a former landfill. The land runs along the site of the Milwaukee Area Technical College’s solar voltaic farm. The money will fund habitat restoration, public education and support student and volunteer work crews.
“This one-mile trail is a critical link in the Milwaukee River corridor,” said Kathryn Dunn, the Foundation’s vice president of Community Investment. “Once complete, the entire 13-mile loop will be an important asset for residents throughout the greater Milwaukee area.”

RRF Offers to Purchase "Wheelhouse" Property

2009-10-13T14:29:00.000-05:00

Funding Sought to Turn Melanec's Wheelhouse Site into Riverfront Park
by By Don Behm of the Journal Sentinel
The final mystery to be played out at the former Melanec's Wheelhouse restaurant and dinner theater on the Milwaukee River: Who will contribute to its demolition and transformation to a public park?
The River Revitalization Foundation has offered to buy the boat-shaped building and 2.8 acres - with 650 feet of frontage on the west bank of the river - for $1.4 million, foundation Executive Director Kimberly Gleffe said. The restaurant closed, and stopped hosting murder mysteries and other dinner-theater performances, in late 2005.
If the Milwaukee-based land trust can raise the money and close the deal by December, it intends to demolish the restaurant and remove two blacktop parking lots, Gleffe said.
A park there would provide public access to the west shore of the river north of downtown for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife watching, exploring and relaxing, Gleffe said.
The foundation is seeking a state stewardship fund grant that would pay up to 50% of the property's appraised value.
On Monday, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's commission will act on a proposal to buy a conservation easement to the property at an estimated cost of $400,000. The easement would become a permanent deed restriction, prohibiting residential or commercial development.
District funds to pay for the easement would come from its Greenseams flood-management program, said Steve Jacquart, the district's intergovernmental coordinator. The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission had targeted the property for protection in an environmental corridor study - a greenway connection plan - done for MMSD.
The land trust is seeking private donations to cover remaining costs of the purchase, said Christopher Jaekels, a Milwaukee attorney and chairman of the River Revitalization Foundation's board of directors. John Chowanec of Milwaukee is the current owner of the property at 2178 N. Riverboat Road.
The unnamed park would be linked to Caesar's and Riverside parks, the Urban Ecology Center and proposed Rotary Centennial Arboretum - all on the river's east shore - by an existing pedestrian bridge and the East Bank and Oak Leaf recreational trails, Gleffe said. The pedestrian bridge is located at the site of a former dam on the river.
To Read Full Article at JSOnline.com, Click Here

Outdoor Outfitters Make Public Lands a Success

2009-10-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

On Saturday September 26, Under the direction of RRF seventy-five volunteers planted over 120 native tress in the west section of the Milwaukee River Valley between North Avenue and Locust Street.
The tree planting was in celebration of National Public Lands Day (NPLD). NPLD is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy

The trees were purchased with a grant by the outdoor equipment and apparel manufacturer Patagonia. The grant was only able to be secured by help of Milwaukee's oldest outfitter, Laacke & Joys.

Wheelhouse Restoration on the West Bank of the Milwaukee

2009-10-13T13:22:00.001-05:00

Demolition at the Wheelhouse has Begun!!!

DAY 1

Demolition of the Wheelhouse has finally started and, WOW, are we excited! Over the next 2 weeks you'll see the building and parking lots slowly disappear in order to get the space ready for transformation to a new park. Stay tuned for daily posts on our Facebook page! Thanks to everyone who has helped us get to this point in the project! And if you want to help RRF complete the restoration please consider a donation to help with seeding, plants, and trail work.

Day 2 of Demolition

DAY 2

It's amazing how little time it takes to dismantle a building. By noon yesterday the demolition crew had almost the entire building down, and you could easily visualize the greenspace that will soon replace this paved parking lot. Parking lots come out tomorrow. Stay tuned!

And then there was greenspace...

...Well, not quite greenspace yet. But it will be soon! The Wheelhouse building and parking lots are officially gone. The 2.8 acre parcel will be graded and seeded with a winter cover crop until we can get in there this spring to start restoration work. If you have a chance stop by the site and check out the new, unobstructed view of the Milwaukee River.