Make Your Feelings Known on Planned Boerner Botanical Gardens Fence
County Parks launches survey to help determine a boundary for the fence.
Map of Boerner Botanical Gardens.
After plans to build a fence around Boerner Botanical Gardens caused a stir in the local community, Milwaukee County Parks has released a survey attempting to gauge public opinion on the project.
It’s expected the fence will increase admission collected at the gardens, and also limit vandalism and damage to plants caused by deer, which frequently roam through the gardens.
Sup. Patti Logsdon pushed to have the Milwaukee County Board include funding for the project in the 2024 budget. Prior to that, it was just one of many projects in the parks system that never made it to the top of the parks department’s infrastructure priorities. “It falls into the category of ‘it would be nice to have,'” Deputy Director Jim Tarantino said in 2022.
Boerner Botanical Gardens contains thousands of plants spread across 40 acres and 12 unique gardens. But the gardens are located inside of Whitnall Park and don’t have any official boundary, according to Parks. The survey will allow respondents to declare whether they support the fence or not. It will also help the department “determine the perceived boundary and preferred fence boundary of Boerner Botanical Gardens.”
Three boundaries are presented for consideration, and voting. The concepts present three options for a potential boundary and differ in size from with smaller, medium and larger boundary lines.
The survey also asks respondents to rank the issues that form the impetus for the fence, asking them to rate how concerned they are about vandalism, animal damage and admission avoidance.
Prior to 2000, the gardens were free to the public. But, like so much of the parks system, the county did not have funding to sustain them on this model and admission was implemented. Beginning in 2016, Parks began leaving up the snow fencing installed for the annual China Lights show to “gently guide” visitors toward the admission gate, according to the department.
“This [permanent] fence will not only protect the plantings from potential harm but will also ensure the longevity and fiscal viability of the Boerner site,” Logsdon said in 2023, after securing funding for the project in the following year’s budget.
Take the Boerner fence survey online
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