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- Ribbon Cutting.
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- Mark Baden: ” This is the kind of good news we like to share.”
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- Alderman Bauman: “I wish we could do this in every vacant lot in the city.”
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- ” The city needs partners like Neighborhood House.”
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- State Rep Evan Goyke: “Before, my fiance would not allow me to walk past this corner. Now I will walk, knowing that this place will be full of children playing”
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- Brad Blaeser, former NH staff.
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- Brad Bleaser and Matt Schofield sent fence posts on Monday.
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- Laying the groundwork.
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- Matt and Armani
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- The work crew volunteered their professional services.
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- Angela from Growing Power
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- DeSean
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- John and his chainsaw
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- Niki and Phan.
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- Jay Ro from ILC.
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- Greg.
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- On three: one, two…
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- Meghan and Leroy.
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- Shawn helps out.
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- Kerri and the twins help out.
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- ILC students help out.
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- Salleh helps out.
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- Dave from Nikiya Harris’s office, with Jerri from NH.
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- Dave Misky from the Mayor’s office, and Brian Scotty of Quorum Architects
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- Artist Sally Duback with Jerry Roberts and Mary Osmundsen from Bader Philanthropies.
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- Don Wallace with Carolyn and Jay Scott of Paul Fleckenstein Trust
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- Sally and Mike from the neighborhood.
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- Andrew from concrodia’s Manderly B&B
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- Neighbors.
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- Compost courtesy of the farm.
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- Green Team
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- Aquatica landscapers
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- Crawford Tree Service.
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- Jeff and Malcolm with the sign.
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- Raising the sign.
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- Jeff and Philip from USFS.
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- Many scissors, many hands: with State Rep Nikiya Harris, center.
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- Happy Earth Day Milwaukee!
A garden dream came true this Earth Day, Wednesday April 22nd 2015 as volunteers from Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association (WLCA), Metro Milwaukee Chapter installed garden beds, picnic tables, and play areas for the new Neighborhood House Garden Park on a vacant corner of W. 27th St. and Richardson Place. The ground-breaking ceremony featured park project donors, WISN TV’s Mark Baden, Milwaukee Alderman Robert Bauman, State Reps Nikiya Harris and Evan Goyke, neighborhood residents and guests. Many hands made light work, despite the April snow flurries, as NH staff, kids, neighbors and adult students from International Learning Center pitched in to help shovel compost, dig post holes, install fencing, and put up a 6 foot sign for the corner gateway.
The Earth Day work blitz was part of an annual community service project of the WLCA, spearheaded by Bradley Blaeser, whose landscaping firm The Green Team of Wisconsin, Inc. specializes in sustainable landscape management. Blaeser worked at Neighborhood House as an environmental educator from 2001-2007.
The project’s funders include Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation; Prairie Springs: The Paul Fleckenstein Trust; and a local family that has been long supported Neighborhood House’s environmental programs. Area WLCA landscapers generously donating time and materials for the project include: Hoppe Tree Service, Johnson Nurseries, ALCS, Beautiful Blooms Landscape & Design, Greener Roofs and Gardens, Jon Welch, The Farm, Aquatica, Landworks, Tom Shepard, Bryan Bergner, Darren’s Skid Steer Service, Jaime Dechamps, Matthew Schofield, and the Green Team of Wisconsin, Inc.
Jeff Martinka, Executive Director of Neighborhood House, expects this urban agriculture project to enhance the neighborhood, and give the community center a presence on W. 27th Street, an area poised for redevelopment. “This part of the city has very little parkland – our neighbors need more safe places for kids and families to come together. The Garden Park supporters are literally making this corner come to life,” said Martinka. Neighborhood House is working with the City of Milwaukee, SHARP Literacy, Milwaukee Police Department, and other key partners to keep the site active, safe and crime-free.
LINKS
- Thanks, Neighborhood News Service, for your coverage of the story.
- Read more about outdoor education at Neighborhood House.
- NEWS RELEASE New Neighborhood House Garden Park To Launch on Earth Day 4-22
- Look for flowers, vegetables, and children at play on this corner very soon! DONATE NOW to keep us growing!
