Second
segment of Rotary Riverwalk open to the public: Mequon NOW,
10/17/2007
Ribbon
Cutting for Library Loop Segment,
October 9, 2007
Ground
Breaking for Library Loop Segment, June
2, 2007
Rotary
clubs to embark on Riverwalk's next phase:
News Graphic. 5/22/2007
City prepares for possible riverfront park:
Mequon NOW, 5/2/2007
Rotary clubs move forward with second phase of
Riverwalk: Mequon NOW.
2/28/2007
Art festival benefits
Rotary Riverwalk: Mequon NOW, 9/13/2006
Softball
game raises funds for Riverwalk, foundation:
Mequon Courant, 8/30/2006
Riverwalk Walk, LionFest raise funds
for community projects: Mequon Courant,
6/13/2006
Water, water everywhere,
but too few paths to follow: Milwaukee Journal. 5/29/2005
Work has started - Pictures posted:
October 21, 2004
"Fall Into Art" Festival announced - To
benefit Rotary Riverwalk: June 21, 2004
Governor Jim Doyle presents grant to
Village of Thiensville: 5/20/2004
Ozaukee land projects to receive state
grants: Milwaukee Journal, 5/18/2004
DNR plans to give grant for riverwalk construction in Thiensville:
Milwaukee Journal, 4/8/2004
Rotary Clubs help jump-start Town Center plan:
Milwaukee Journal, 8/13/2003
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in Mequon
NOW on May 2, 2007. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.mequonnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=675853
Second segment of Rotary Riverwalk open to the public
By Mary Buckley
Staff Writer
Posted: Oct. 17, 2007
A beautiful fall day heralded the opening
of the Library Loop section of the Riverwalk on Oct. 9.
Blue skies, a breeze blowing the falling
leaves and abundant sunshine welcomed members of the Thiensville-Mequon
Rotary Club, the Mequon-Thiensville Rotary Club, city and village
officials, and others interested in the link from Cedarburg Road to
Settlers Park.
The loop, which begins with a handicapped
accessible ramp bridging a deep gully, takes a straight path to the bank
of the Milwaukee River and then turns south, meandering among trees and
shrubs to Settlers Park.
Roger Kirgues, who along with Steve
Peterman co-chairs the Rotary Riverwalk Committee, greeted almost 50
people drawn to the site both by the accomplishment and by the day.
Kirgues was grateful for the cooperation of property owners along the
Library Loop section of the path.
"Without them and their willingness to
work together with this project, we would not be here today," he said.
A committee of Rotarians is working to
gain easements from property owners along the river. If easements can be
obtained, the Riverwalk would extend from the bridge at Mequon Road to
Village Park in Thiensville.
Cooperative effort
Thiensville Village President Karl Hertz,
who is also a Rotarian, said the entire project could take years to
complete. Certain portions of the proposed walk would include bridges to
traverse tight areas with little to no riverbank for a path.
But, on a bright day marking the
completion of the Library Loop, the focus was on that accomplishment.
Julie Petri and Kathy Peterson of the
Mequon Community Foundation noted the accomplishment.
"I used to watch a lot of 'Sesame Street,'
" Petri said, referring to a time when she had young children at home. "As
the characters on 'Sesame Street' would say, 'Now that is cooperation!' "
The foundation donated $10,000 toward the
estimated $85,000 cost of the project.
Handicapped accessible
Roger Reinemann, the former president of
the Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary and of the Mequon Common Council,
cut the ribbon and tested the accessibility of the path along with two
wheelchair-bound residents of nearby Luther Manor at River Oaks, an
assisted living facility.
The wheelchairs glided over the entry ramp
but the going was a little tougher on the crushed rock path.
Rotarian Stan Smith said the path will
compress and become more firm over time. Smith said Independence First
helped with suggestions on how to make the walk accessible. Independence
First is a resource for people with disabilities.
David Beinlich of Luther Manor at River
Oaks said the path will be interesting for residents. The facility granted
an easement for the path.
"We are very happy our people will be able
to watch people using what is our backyard," Beinlich said. "Some of them
enjoyed watching it being installed."
Obtaining easements
The entire group assembled for the ribbon
cutting took the short hike along the path to the park.
Laura Rowe and daughter Julia, 4, noticed
her husband Bruce, a Rotarian, at the ribbon cutting and came to enjoy a
few minutes with dog Sasha on the riverbank. Julia had the distinction of
being the first of many children on the path.
Viewed as a centerpiece for the proposed
Town Center along Mequon and Cedarburg roads in both the village and city,
the Riverwalk is divided into six segments
The first segment, called Village Park and
located adjacent to Village Park in Thiensville on the Millrace berm, was
completed in 2004. Kirgues said work continues to gain easements for
additional sections of the walk.
Mary Buckley can be reached at mbuckley@cninow.com
or (262) 446-6615.
top of page
Thanks to everyone who
help make this segment possible.
Thanks to Jean Hill, From
The Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary Club for the following pictures of
the Groundbreaking ceremony on June 2, 2007
|
Click on any of the
images for a larger view |
 |
 |
Rotary Riverwalk Co-Chair Roger
Kirgues |
 |
T-M Rotary President 2007-08
Shelley Weston |
 |
Mequon Mayor Christine Nuernberg |
 |
Thiensville President Karl Hertz |
 |
Stan Smith - Town Center Committee |
 |
Steve French, Mequon Community
Foundation, presents a check in the amount of $10,000 to the
Co-Chairs of the Rotary Riverwalk, Roger Kirgues and Steve Peterman |
 |
Karl Hertz, Christine Nuernberg,
State Senator Alberta Darling, Shelley Weston, State Representative
Jim Ott, M-T Rotarian Bob Blazich, Roger Kirgues and Steve Peterman. |
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the News
Graphic on May 22, 2007.
Rotary clubs
to embark on Riverwalk's next phase
Funding for
$100,000 project comes from nonprofits, Wisconsin
DNR
By Ed
Zagorski
News Graphic staff
Posted: May
22, 2007
Mequon - The Mequon and Thiensville Rotary Clubs
will publicly announce the next phase of their
Riverwalk project, which is estimated at $100,000,
early next month at a groundbreaking ceremony.
This
phse is called the Library Loop and upon
completion will provide a walkway along the
Milwaukee River from Settlers Park north to the
chamber of commerce office building in
Thiensville.
The
Library Loop is about one-fifth of a mile and will
include a handicap accessible viewing platform by
Luther Manor Oaks, 11340 N. Cedarburg Road.
"The
resident staff and organization want to be part of
the community, and being park of the Riverwalk
allows us to do that," said Dave Beinlich, Luther
Manor administrator. "It gives us great pride to
participate."
The
project is being financed by the Mequon Community
Foundation through a $10,000 donation with
additional funding provided through Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources grants and
fund-raising efforts of the Rotary clubs, the
Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise and Thiensville-Mequon
afternoon groups.
(Ed Zagorski can be reached at ezagorski@conleynet.com)
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in Mequon
NOW on May 2, 2007. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.mequonnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=600210
City prepares for possible riverfront park
Officials debate fate of houses with expensive
upkeep
By Mary Buckley
Staff Writer
Posted: May 2, 2007
Mequon staff will
continue to pursue agreements that would give the
city right of first refusal on two homes on North
Cedarburg Road along the Milwaukee River.
The right of first
refusal allows the city to decide whether to buy
the houses before they are offered to other
potential buyers.
Mequon owns two
houses at 11230 and 11300 N. Cedarburg Road and
has the right of first refusal on two of the
remaining four located between Mequon Road and
Settlers Park.
City Administrator
Lee Szymborski said the city began purchasing the
houses in 2001 with an eye toward the development
of a riverfront park in the proposed Town Center.
The city rents the
two houses but the Finance-Personnel Committee
last week began to consider its options for the
houses.
The rent has not
covered the cost of mortgage and repairs to the
houses.
Sewer work has
been done at both houses; the city has replaced
the roof on one and worked on the well at the
other, creating a total deficit of $2,499.
The city could
continue renting the houses or pay off the
mortgages and tear them down, Szymborski said.
The city owes
$141,488 on the two mortgages as of April 7.
Public Works Director Jon Garms estimates it would
cost $10,000 a piece to tear the houses down.
There could be additional cost for asbestos
abatement, disconnecting sewers and abandoning
wells.
Fifth District
Alderman Mark Seider said he was disappointed to
learn the city had spent $28,000 on repairs to one
of the houses but he was not in favor of tearing
them down.
"I would try to
get right of first refusal on the two remaining
houses and otherwise stay with the current course
(on the two city-owned houses)," Seider said.
Seventh District
Alderman Dan Gannon said his opinion changed when
he found out how much the properties were costing
the city.
"Rather than
losing money, I say remove them," he said.
One house is
adjacent to Settlers Park, which could allow for
the park's expansion.
Seider was
hesitant about their removal.
"If you tear one
or both down, all you do is increase the value of
the others," he said. "There would be open land
all around them."
Mayor Christine
Nuernberg said the city right of way goes almost
to the front door of the houses - one negative.
"I don't think
people want to live next door to active-use
property," she said. "If the riverwalk goes in, it
might decrease their value."
The committee
asked for more information on repairs and the
amount of time staff is spending on the houses, as
well as anticipated major repairs, the actual cost
of demolition and the impact of the planned
reconstruction of the Mequon-Cedarburg Road
intersection this summer.
Nuernberg said she
would like the committee to tour one of the
city-owned houses, which will be vacant in May, in
order to view the backyard, which is along the
river.
Mary Buckley
can be reached at (262) 446-6615. Her e-mail
address is
mdbuckley45@earthlink.net.
top of page
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in Mequon
NOW on February 28, 2007. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.mequonnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=571586
Rotary clubs move forward with second phase of
Riverwalk
By Mary Buckley
Staff Writer
Posted: Feb. 28, 2007
The Rotary clubs
in Mequon and Thiensville, powered by a National
Recreational Trails Act program grant of $58,390,
are moving ahead with the second phase of the
Riverwalk Project.
Roger Kirgues and
Steve Peterman, co-chairmen of the Riverwalk
project for the two Rotary clubs, are hard at
work, along with 18 to 20 other people in the
committee, to develop what is called the
Riverwalk's Library Loop.
The Riverwalk will
eventually run along the Milwaukee River from
Mequon Road into Village Park in Thiensville.
The Library Loop
goes south from a drainage ditch opposite the
Frank L. Weyenberg Library into Settlers Park.
Most of this section of the path will be in
Mequon.
"The first area we
did was Village Park," Kirgues said.
As the focus
shifts to the Library Loop, Kirgues is talking
with property owners to obtain easements for the
path along the river.
"We are really
focusing on one-on-one discussions about the
project," Kirgues said. "We are having good
conversations with them, but it certainly is up to
the property owners."
Kirgues emphasized
the clubs want to be very respectful of the
residents' concerns.
Some are concerned
about security and privacy, he said.
Peterman has been
working with engineers designing the walkway.
"There will be an
80-foot boardwalk from Green Bay Road right across
the drainage ditch area," Peterman said.
The area will be
handicapped accessible with look out spots along
the river for people to be able to stop and enjoy
the scene.
The riverwalk
project has six phases.
"Our goal is to do
one a year," Peterman said. "But what we can do
will really be driven by individual property
owners' willingness to grant the easements."
The federal grant
requires the clubs to raise matching funds.
"We are hoping to
be able to secure gifts for construction and
development," Kirgues said.
The clubs will
also be holding their second annual Walk for
Riverwalk on Saturday, June 10. Short (1.5 mile)
and long (3.5 mile) routes will be available, all
ending up at Village Park,
Construction on
the second phase could start in May.
Mary Buckley
can be reached at (262) 317-8648. Her e-mail
address is
mdbuckley45@earthlink.net.
top of page
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in Mequon
NOW on September 13, 2006. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.mequonnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=494866
Art festival benefits Rotary Riverwalk
By Lynne Kleinman
Staff Writer
Posted: Sept. 13, 2006
When the first
Fall into Art festival was held two years ago,
organizers envisioned it growing and becoming an
annual community event in Mequon and Thiensville's
Town Center.
Despite cloudy,
cool, windy weather Saturday, there was plenty of
reason to believe that that vision was becoming a
reality, as around 1,000 people turned out for the
third annual Fall into Art festival.
The event was held
on Main Street south of Freistadt Road, on the
grounds of the popular Thiensville Farmers Market.
Wide range of items
From 20 mainly
local artists who exhibited and sold their work at
the festival in 2004, the number of exhibitors
grew to 65 this year, including artists from all
over southeastern Wisconsin.
"We have a wide
range in the types of art this year," said Linda
Bendix, director of the Frank L. Weyenberg
Library, who co-chaired the event with Shelley
Weston, president-elect of the Thiensville-Mequon
Rotary Club, the festival's sponsoring
organization. "There's photography, paintings,
crafts, jewelry, candles, scrapbooking and
others."
Artists keep all
proceeds from their sales but pay a fee for their
display booth, Weston said. Those fees, as well as
funds raised from games and other activities at
the event, will support the Rotary Riverwalk
project in Mequon and Thiensville.
The Riverwalk,
first proposed in August 2003, is being built
jointly by the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary and the
Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary, in celebration
of Rotary International's centennial in 2005.
Regarded as a key
feature of Town Center development, this
pedestrian walkway will be more than a mile long,
extending from Thiensville Village Park on the
north, along the west bank of the Milwaukee River,
to Mequon Road on the south.
Two area State
Farm Insurance agents, Doug Hansen in Thiensville
and Marlene Ver Straate in Mequon, sponsored the
festival's sound stage, which featured Dixieland
and ragtime music by the Dixie Doodles on Saturday
afternoon.
Music during the
morning hours was provided by the Jazz Ensemble
from Concordia University Wisconsin.
Active participation
The festival
afforded child and adult visitors the opportunity
for active participation in art, which many
considered a good alternative to passively viewing
the work of others. The Todd Davis American Family
Insurance Agency in Thiensville sponsored the art
activities, which included decorating papers
plates with images of this year's festival mascot,
Rubber Ducky.
Games were also
popular. Winners of the Ring Around the Duck Toss,
sponsored by the First Weber Group in Mequon,
received rubber ducks as prizes.
"We try to keep it
low budget, so most of what we make goes to the
Riverwalk," Bendix said.
She estimated
proceeds from this year's Fall into Art at around
$1,500, down slightly from last year.
"All in all, it's
a nice fall event for families," she said.
AT A GLANCE
The 1.3-mile
scenic Riverwalk being built by the Rotary Clubs
of Mequon and Thiensville is expected to benefit
the community in the following ways:
• preserve and
enhance the natural beauty and environmental
impact of the Milwaukee River
• fulfill Rotary's
mission of community service
• provide
educational opportunities for schools and families
in the community
• provide safe,
enjoyable and scenic access to the Milwaukee River
• improve quality
of life in the community
• unite components
of the Town Center Plan
• enhance the
Mequon-Thiensville park system
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The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the
Mequon Courant on August 30, 2006. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.mequonnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=489009
Softball game raises funds for Riverwalk,
foundation
Mequon Courant
Posted: Aug. 30, 2006
Concord
Development Co. demonstrated its prowess in
softball Sunday, coming back from a 12-run deficit
to beat the team from James H. Hoffman Builders by
a score of 15-13 in a seven-inning game at
Thiensville Village Park.
Played in the
spirit of friendly rivalry that characterizes the
relationship between the business competitors -
Andy Petzold, president of Concord Development,
and Jim Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Builders - the
game was a fundraiser for the Rotary Riverwalk and
the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation.
Along with
providing a lot of excitement for plenty of
spectators, the event brought in more than
$10,000, primarily from a live auction and
concession sales at the game.
Former member of
the Milwaukee Brewers and all-star Larry Hisle was
captain of the Concord team, which also featured
former NBA all-star Terry Porter. The Hoffman team
was comprised of Ozaukee Senior League players and
company owner Jim Hoffman.
The Rotary
Riverwalk, which will ultimately provide a trail
more than a mile long from Thiensville Village
Park south along the west bank of the Milwaukee
River to Mequon Road, is a centerpiece of
Mequon-Thiensville Town Center development.
The Gullikson
Foundation, inspired by the late Tim Gullikson, a
tennis champion and coach, seeks to enhance the
quality of life of brain tumor patients and to
support their families in managing the physical,
emotional and social challenges presented by this
illness. Hoffman, who played tennis with Gullikson
years ago, has lost other friends and family
members to brain tumors.
Daniel
Morgese of Milwaukee, an 18-year-old brain tumor
survivor who has received a Gullikson Foundation
scholarship to study accounting at Milwaukee Area
Technical College, threw out the first pitch at
Sunday's game.
- Lynne
Kleinman,
Staff Writer
top of page
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the
Mequon Courant on June 13, 2006. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.mequonnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=434891
Riverwalk Walk, LionFest raise funds for
community projects
By Lynne Kleinman
Staff Writer
Posted: June 13, 2006
Under sunny skies
last weekend, area residents flocked to two events
that kicked off summertime fun in Mequon and
Thiensville, while also raising funds for good
causes.
A crowd of around
175 participated in the Riverwalk Walk on
Saturday, raising more than $16,000 to help build
a 1.3-mile trail along the Milwaukee River in
Mequon and Thiensville.
The walkers’ route
ended at Thiensville Village Park, where many of
them remained for LionFest, an annual three-day
event, the proceeds from which benefit a variety
of local charities.
“We were trying to
move this beyond just the two (Rotary) clubs,”
said Dorothy Wahner, organizer of the Riverwalk
Walk for the joint Rotary Clubs of Mequon and
Thiensville, which first proposed building the
trail three years ago to mark Rotary’s 100th
anniversary worldwide in 2005. “This was nicer
than the first (walk). We have more visibility
now, and there’s more community support.”
Organizations join forces
Sharing the common
goal of improving the quality of life of the local
community, LionFest and Riverwalk Walk organizers
supported each other’s events in their promotional
materials this year, and even provided some
continuity in the entertainment.
“The Tae Kwon Do
group was a wonderful addition to the event,
Wahner said, referring to a group, age 2 to adult,
who practice an ancient Korean form of training
that is said to improve flexibility, strength,
balance, concentration and endurance. “They did
warm up exercises before the walk and presented a
program at LionFest after the walk which
highlighted various skills and components of their
training.”
The walk was
promoted by other community groups as well, Wahner
said, including the Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of
Commerce and Youth Service America at Steffen
Middle School; Town Center Committee; and village
of Thiensville and city of Mequon.
As a major sponsor
of the Riverwalk Walk, the Ozaukee County chapter
of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans donated
$1,600. Sommer’s Buick-Pontiac-Suburu, the other
major sponsor, made a $1,000 donation.
Fest declared a success
Organizers of
LionFest, the Thiensville-Mequon Lions Club’s
major annual fundraiser, pronounced this year’s
event a success.
“We did
exceptionally well,” said Terry Leonardelli,
estimating that proceeds from the event “were in
the $50,000 range” this year.
Thiensville Police
Chief Richard Preston said despite some
unseasonably cold evening temperatures over the
weekend, crowds of around 10,000 moved through the
park each day of the event to watch the softball
tournament, take a turn on a variety of rides on
the midway, consume the “famous chicken dinner”
that has long been a hallmark of LionFest, and to
enjoy live afternoon and evening entertainment.
“The music was
very good this year,” Leonardelli said, adding
that the opportunity to dance to live music has
always drawn a lot of people to event.
The groups that
entertained were The Crisis, Generations,
Crossfire, the Sweet Tarts and Kickin’ Country.
Chris Stadler, who
coordinated the softball tournament, said 20 teams
from southeastern Wisconsin entered, and cash
prizes — from a $2,100 purse made up from entry
fees — were awarded to winners. Taking first
place, he said, was the Diamond Express team from
Milwaukee.
Preston said
plenty of children had hours of fun on the midway.
Buying a wristband
for $13, they could have four hours of rides — a
child’s nirvana,” he said.
Daytime
attractions for the adults included bingo and a
classic car show.
Supporting the community
Leonardelli said
the smooth operation of LionFest was due in large
measure to the work of many volunteers from
agencies the Lions Club supports. Among those
organizations, he said, were Ozaukee Special
Olympics, Portal Industries of Wisconsin, Family
Sharing of Ozaukee County, Ozaukee Family
Services, Interfaith Caregivers of Mequon and
Ozaukee Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“Especially with
the construction on Riverview Drive, remote
parking was an important part of our operation
this year,” Leonardelli said. “We were fortunate
that Mike Gross (of School Transport Inc.)
provided shuttle service to the park.”
Gross said his
school bus company donates this service every
year.
“It’s a chance for
us to support the community — and we like to do
that,” he said.
top of page
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on May 29 2005. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/may05/329161.asp
Water, water everywhere, but too few
paths to follow
Cities, towns envision new, expanded
walks along rivers
Last Updated: May 29, 2005
Waterways coursing through communities in Ozaukee
County are often underused natural resources that have been out of reach
of many people, residents and government officials say.
That is changing, though, as a steadily growing
chain of walkways along urban streams provides residents greater access to
the water.
In Cedarburg, efforts are under way to extend the
Cedar Creek walk through the downtown area.
And in Thiensville and Mequon, a one-quarter mile
scenic walk along the Milwaukee River officially opened last weekend,
marking one of the most visible signs yet of an ambitious plan to create a
town center in the two municipalities.
"One of the biggest assets . . . is the river,
except no one can see the river or get to the river," Mequon Mayor
Christine Nuernberg said during a May 21 ceremony at Thiensville's Village
Park that officially opened the trail.
The walkway along the Milwaukee River changes
that, she said.
"I think people will come to this area and make
this area a thriving area because of what we're doing now to make the
river really accessible to everybody," she said.
Thiensville Village President Donald Molyneux
said the entrance to the riverwalk was "beautiful," and called the path a
"wonderful addition to the park."
The riverwalk exists today in large part because
of the Thiensville/Mequon Rotary Club and the Mequon/Thiensville Sunrise
Rotary Club teaming up with the municipalities to turn a vision into
reality.
Mequon and Thiensville wanted to use the river to
help draw people to the area. The riverwalk is seen as a key component of
the Town Center plan, which was introduced in 2002 and envisions
attracting restaurants, home-decorating and improvement stores and gift
shops to Thiensville's Main St. Mequon and Thiensville are cooperating on
the plan.
The clubs took on construction of the walkway as
a public service project to mark the 100th anniversary of Rotary
International this year.
Eventually, the riverwalk will extend 1.3 miles,
from Thiensville's Village Park to the bridge at Mequon Road that carries
vehicles over the Milwaukee River, said Ted Weirather, a Rotary member. He
and another Rotary member, Steve Peterman, approached city and village
officials in 2003 and offered the Rotary clubs' assistance in developing
the riverwalk.
"The river is one of the most beautiful natural
resources," Weirather said.
The second phase of the project, extending the
trail to where the river turns near the River Bank building, should begin
soon, Weirather said.
Thiensville received an $82,094 grant from the
state Department of Natural Resources for the riverwalk work. Weirather
said other fund-raising activities are ongoing. Since the project is being
done in phases and engineering work remains to be done, he didn't have a
cost estimate for the entire project.
Winning praise
The riverwalk already is winning high marks.
Wendy Petzold of Mequon was on the riverwalk with
her children, Aaron, 7, and Grace, 4, shortly after it opened.
Aaron was fascinated by the frogs along the
trail.
And Grace was thrilled by the water falling over
the dam. The riverwalk entrance showcases the dam.
"It's very nice to be able to come and enjoy the
park. For me, I can't walk along the grass," said Wendy Petzold, who uses
a wheelchair.
"So having the path is wonderful," she said,
because it makes the river accessible to more people.
Chuck Zamora and his son, Cory, 13, were on the
path as well. They moved to Mequon in December from Brisbane, Australia.
"We're actually enjoying watching spring. We've
never experienced that before," said Chuck Zamora, who lived in Australia
for 30 years. "I've never actually seen tulips and daffodils emerge like
that. It's beautiful. . . . I've always believed that people should take
advantage of waterways and make them a part of the community."
Alex Prenzlow, 12, attended the riverwalk opening
and not just because his dad, Elmer C. Prenzlow, is a village trustee.
The family, including Elmer's wife, Linda, is at
the park at least once a week during the summer.
"We know that it's been in planning so long that
it's really nice to see it get started," Linda Prenzlow said. "It's a real
asset to Mequon and Thiensville. This walk is going to go through the
park. It's a nice, extra safe, flat place to walk and bike."
Appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on May
29, 2005.
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"Fall Into Art"
Festival Announced
Vanessa Brown, T-M Rotary Director,
announced a fund raiser to benefit the Rotary Riverwalk will be held on
September 18, 2004 in the Thiensville-Mequon Town Center, as follows:
We are pleased to
announce a new community event called “Fall Into Art” to be held on
Saturday, September 18, 2004 on the streets of downtown Thiensville. The
event is being held to highlight the Thiensville downtown, the Rotary
River Walk and the Thiensville-Mequon Town Center project. A committee
has been formed of local merchants interested in planning and
participating in this one day event. (Including Tres Jolie, Interior
Garden Art Studio, Art Escape Gallery, Fantasy Flowers, and several
others.)
In
addition to inviting merchants and artists to display their wares in
booths around downtown Thiensville (Green Bay Rd), the committee has also
identified other events/activities we are considering holding; Rotary
Canoe Competition with the Chamber of Commerce, Farmer’s Market, food
tents, beer tent, sidewalk art with chalk contest, silent auction in the
old Fire House, clowns, balloons, face painting, and children’s games.
Info for Local Merchants Click Here
(PDF Format)
Registration Form for Merchants (PDF
Format)
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|
May 20, 2004, City of Mequon Rotary Park |
 State of Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle presents a Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources Stewardship Fund grant of $82,094 to Village of Thiensville
President John Treffert and Village of Thiensville Administrator
Dianne Robertson. The grant is for the development of the Rotary
Riverwalk along the Milwaukee River in Thiensville. The Rotary
Riverwalk is a joint Centennial project of the Rotary Clubs of
Thiensville-Mequon, and Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise in cooperation with
the City of Mequon and the Village of Thiensville. |
|
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Photo credit: Dave
O'Connor |
The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on May 18 2004. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/may04/230153.asp
Ozaukee land projects to
receive state grants
$555,000 earmarked for 3
municipalities, county
By DON BEHM and MIKE
JOHNSON
dbehm@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 17, 2004
Mequon, Thiensville, Newburg and
Ozaukee County will receive $555,092 in state Stewardship Fund grants this
week, state and local officials said.
The four grants are to help pay for acquiring natural areas to be opened
to the public in Mequon and Newburg, and for building recreational
facilities in Thiensville and at an Ozaukee County park in the Town of
Saukville.
The fund is the state's primary land conservation program.
On Thursday, Gov. Jim Doyle will be in Mequon to announce three of the
grants, Mayor Christine Nuernberg said. He is expected to arrive at Mequon
Rotary Park, 4100 W. Highland Road, after 3:45 p.m. The program is open to
the public.
One of the grants is an award of $358,500 to Mequon for purchase of a
52.5-acre addition to the Mequon Nature Preserve. The Ozaukee Washington
Land Trust, which applied for the grant, has an option to buy the Bacher
property at 8519 W. Donges Bay Road for $875,000.
Mequon, the trust and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation are partners in an
effort to piece together a preserve encompassing 640 acres, or 1 square
mile. Forests and wetlands are to be restored to the preserve, which is
bounded by Donges Bay and County Line roads on the north and south and
Wauwatosa and Swan roads on the east and west.
The other two grants to be announced Thursday are $82,094 to Thiensville
for development of its Rotary Riverwalk on the Milwaukee River and
$100,000 to Ozaukee County for development of Tendick Nature Park on the
river in the Town of Saukville.
Thiensville plans to build a 1.5-mile pedestrian trail along the river
from Village Park to Green Bay Road. The riverwalk eventually could be
extended to Mequon Road in Mequon.
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The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on April 9, 2004. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/apr04/221014.asp
DNR plans to give grant for riverwalk construction in Thiensville
Posted: April 8, 2004
Thiensville - A plan to build a pedestrian trail
along the Milwaukee River as part of the ambitious Town Center proposal is
getting an $82,094 boost from the state Department of Natural Resources.
The DNR tentatively has approved the grant, a 50% match for the work in
Thiensville, Daniel Kaemmerer, a DNR natural resources financial
assistance specialist, said Thursday.
"We're very supportive of riverfront trail projects that help bring the
public down to enjoy the river and, in so doing, enhance the understanding
of the importance of preservation," Kaemmerer said.
Matching funds for the trail work in Thiensville will come from Rotary
Clubs in Mequon and Thiensville and Homestead High School students,
Thiensville Administrator Dianne Robertson said. No village funds will be
used for the project, she said.
The money will cover the first phase of the riverwalk project, creating
the path from Village Park to Green Bay Road, Robertson said.
Also, it will include surveying properties along the entire future
riverwalk from Village Park to Mequon Road in the city of Mequon,
Robertson said.
The Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club and the
Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary
Club have offered to take the lead in constructing the riverwalk, as a
civic project commemorating the Rotary's 100th anniversary in 2005.
The riverwalk is to be named Rotary Riverwalk.
The 1.5-mile riverwalk is a key component of the Town Center plan.
Introduced more than a year ago, the plan envisions attracting
restaurants, home decorating and home improvement stores and gift shops to
Main St.
Mequon and Thiensville are working together on the proposal and the
riverwalk. Mequon encircles the village.
The plan also envisions improving the Mequon civic campus - the area
around City Hall. Proposed improvements include a pedestrian connection
from Cedarburg Road to the Ozaukee Interurban Trail.
Homestead students have been raising funds about three years and have
donated $8,750. Most will go for the trail project, but $1,250 will be
saved for future uses, Robertson said.
Meanwhile, the two Rotary Clubs are planning a fund-raiser, the Rotary
Riverwalk Walk, on June 19 to raise money for the project. Teams are being
formed to walk the riverwalk path. Registration forms are available at
Village Hall and Mequon City Hall.
Kaemmerer said the DNR will issue the funds to Thiensville once the public
comment period on the proposal ends Monday. So far, he said, the DNR has
received no comments about the proposal.
The funding could be delayed if someone raises concerns that the trail
could damage the environment. But the DNR said projects such as the
riverwalk typically do not have the potential to cause significant
environmental harm.
To comment about the project, call Tom Blotz of the DNR at (414) 263-8610.
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The following is an excerpt from a
news article that appeared in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Aug. 14, 2003. The full article can be
viewed at
http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/aug03/162115.asp.
Rotary Clubs help jump-start Town Center plan
Groups want riverwalk to honor 100th anniversary
Last Updated: Aug. 13, 2003
Mequon - An ambitious plan to turn
Main St. into the Mequon-Thiensville Town Center got a major boost
Wednesday night when Rotary Clubs offered to take the lead on constructing
a riverwalk for the project.
The 1.5-mile riverwalk is a key component
of the Town Center plan, which was introduced last October and envisions
attracting restaurants, home-decorating and improvement stores and gift
shops to Thiensville's Main St.
The plan also envisions improving the
Mequon civic campus as well - the area around City Hall. Proposed
improvements include building a pedestrian connection from Cedarburg Road
to the new Ozaukee Interurban Trail.
The Rotary Clubs announced their proposal
during the inaugural meeting of the Town Center Committee, a joint panel
formed by Mequon and Thiensville to make recommendations on how to proceed
with the creation of the center.
Committee members applauded the proposal,
saying Rotary participation would give momentum to Town Center plans.
Both Mequon and Thiensville would have to
approve the Rotary Clubs' participation in the project. Mequon Mayor
Christine Nuernberg, who attended the meeting, welcomed the support, as
did Thiensville Trustee Sarah Elliott and Mequon Ald. Samuel Cutler, both
members of the Town Center panel.
"It is really just a thrill to hear you
step forward," Elliott told Ted Weirather, of the
Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club, and
Steve Peterman, of the
Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary.
Weirather and Peterman said the clubs want
to build the riverwalk as a civic project commemorating the Rotary's 100th
anniversary in 2005.
They said they did not have cost estimates
yet on the project. The clubs expect to make a more detailed presentation
to the Town Center Committee next month.
Officials from both communities hope that
the Town Center will create an identity for the area - a suburban version
of Milwaukee's Water St., with some additional features - and give Mequon
and Thiensville residents an alternative to downtown Milwaukee.
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