Residents and dignitaries will gather for a special ceremony Saturday, June 4 at Hartung Park, marking the beginning of the fourth and final phase of work at the now reinvigorated site of what was once a landfill on Milwaukee’s northwest side border with Wauwatosa.
The ceremony will start at noon Saturday at North Menomonee River Parkway and West Keefe Avenue, in conjunction with the annual meeting and ice cream social for the Hartung Park Community Association (HPCA). At 12:15 p.m. a walk to the final phase will kick off a short ceremonial program where Ald. Jim Bohl will be joined by Mayor Tom Barrett, City of Wauwatosa Mayor Kathy Ehley, Department of Public Works Commissioner Ghassan Korban and other public officials and HPCA officers and members.
The park – located in both the City of Milwaukee (two-thirds) and the City of Wauwatosa (one third) – has been worked on since 2001, with early work dominated by planning, grant applications, and fundraising. The park ribbon cutting for the first of several phases of the park's opening was held in summer 2008, and some of the initial features in the new park were opened in summer 2010. Phased improvements have continued steadily, with ongoing close collaboration between the HPCA, the City of Milwaukee and the City of Wauwatosa.
"This park is a unique and rare example of intergovernmental and neighborhood cooperation," Ald. Bohl said. "And I am delighted to be joined by Mayor Barrett, and other City of Milwaukee officials to launch the final phase with the Hartung Park Community Association and the City of Wauwatosa, and want to especially thank Wauwatosa for their support, dedication and willingness to partner with the city and residents of our two communities."
"The partnership demonstrates that working for the betterment of the community doesn’t require boundary battles or disputes, but can and has involved tremendous engagement, cooperation and teamwork," said Ald. Bohl, noting that the final phase is expected to near completion later this fall.
The final phase of work at Hartung Park will include:
• Creation of a fully-accessible intergenerational exercise and recreation area, featuring a stone ping pong table, a chess/checkers table, picnic tables, two youth saddle spinners, and exercise stations. The area, located near North 99th and West Townsend Streets, will also be encircled by a 100-meter paved oval running/walking track.
• A new semi-circular entrance walkway paved with brick pavers, at 99th and Townsend. A limestone park sign marker will also be erected at the entrance, and a crushed stone pathway system will connect the entrance area to the intergenerational exercise area and a secondary entrance near Argonne Drive with the extensive pathway system weaving throughout the park.
Alderman Bohl said the new features at Hartung are designed to allow older adults and persons with disabilities to enjoy the amenities – right alongside children and families.
"I’m extremely grateful for the active participation of the HPCA and its many dedicated board members and volunteers – they’ve been instrumental in park planning activities and in fundraising for the amenities found throughout the park," Alderman Bohl said.
A handful of City of Milwaukee employees also devoted more than a decade of work to make sure the planning details for the park were executed as envisioned, Ald. Bohl said.
"It’s rare that any city employee have the opportunity to work for 12 or 14 years on an evolving project like Hartung Park, but I applaud their dedication and their excellence. In my view they’ve helped polish a jewel that will be an enjoyable public space for decades," he said.
For more information about HPCA and the park, visit the website: hartungpark.com.
