New Mosaics Mark the Spot for River Cleanup Updates

A new community information hub along the Beerline Trail will share updates on efforts to restore the Milwaukee River. Photo taken June 25, 2026 by Sophie Bolich.

A large-scale cleanup project will soon bring changes to the Milwaukee River Greenway, where crews plan to remove contaminated sediment, restore habitat and reestablish native plant communities across hundreds of acres of publicly accessible land.

As the long-term effort moves forward and restoration activities become more visible, a new information board will keep passersby informed and engaged with the project’s latest developments.

Two nature-themed mosaics, created by Jessica Laub with help from community members, serve as focal points on the double-sided board, which stands west of the Beerline Trail behind Cafe Corazon in Riverwest.

“As a person who uses the river trails regularly, I know that if I walked down there and saw the banks of the river being clear cut, I would be very upset about it,” said Laub, artist in residence for Milwaukee Water Commons. “But sometimes things have to get a little worse in order to get better, right?”

Representatives from Milwaukee Water Commons gathered at the site last week for an official ribbon-cutting, unveiling the mosaics and a series of informational fliers detailing the cost, location and expected results of the cleanup.

“We believe in the power of the arts to capture people’s hearts around water issues,” said Melanie Ariens, creative arts manager for Milwaukee Water Commons.

The mosaics incorporate poetry, geographical features and an assortment of creatures that call the river greenway home. Laub invited community collaboration through a tile-making workshop at the nearby Kuumba Juice and Coffee, where approximately 50 attendees hand-painted a smallmouth bass, wood frog, American beaver and other native wildlife to become part of the installation.

“It was a great turnout,” Laub said. “People spent so much time and care making their tiles, and they turned out so beautifully. I love community art because I can really learn from the people I’m working with and get inspired by them.”

Laub said she considered more than a dozen potential sites for the installation, but moved forward at the current location based on a longtime connection to the neighborhood.

“I’ve lived here since 1998, and I wanted to do something that would go to my own community,” she said. “The Beerline Trail is somewhere that, even when it was a railway, I would go running, and I used to walk my dog right by this spot, actually.”

The project marks the culmination of Laub’s yearlong residency, and has already influenced her outlook on the local ecosystem. She hopes the mosaics will have the same effect on others.

“Since we made this, I have been more conscious of the animal species, fish and birds that are in our area,” Laub said. “It’s my hope that this can serve as a communication tool … and inspire people to be good stewards of the river.”

Project Details

More than two dozen environmental remediation projects are ongoing or upcoming in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern with the long-term goal to create swimmable beaches, clean up waterways and restore ecosystems across hundreds of acres of protected land near downtown Milwaukee.

The work includes dredging to remove contaminated sediment from the lake and riverbeds, followed by measures to restore and improve habitats for native wildlife.

The Federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‘s Great Lakes National Program Office, will provide the majority of the project’s funding, with additional collaboration from 25 area organizations through the Waterway Restoration Partnership.

Expected disruptions could include temporary trail and recreational amenity closures, heavy machinery and landscape equipment, tree and invasive species removal, revegetation work, loud noise and temporary visual changes.

While efforts are already progressing locally, on-the-ground work for the Milwaukee River Floodplains Cleanup is likely to begin in 2028, Edwards said. In the meantime, informational boards will be regularly maintained, including with opportunities for public participation and input.

“May this community bulletin board serve as an integral, artful reminder of what the future holds for our ecosystems and our communities,” said Myron Edwards, environmental justice advisor for Milwaukee Water Commons.

For more information on the project, visit the Milwaukee County Parks website.

Photos