Update on KK River/Jackson Park Flood Plain Project offered at Zablocki Branch Library July 14
The lagoon at Jackson Park, part of the area to be reconfigured by the MMSD/Milwaukee County Parks partnership. Photo by Tom Pipia
Large scale, long-term technical projects tend to be complicated and difficult for the community to understand. The collaborative effort between the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and Milwaukee County Parks, which started in 2017, is no exception.
Patrick Elliott, Project Manager for MMSD, will join Milwaukee County Parks’ Patrick Chaves, to provide an overview & status of the KiniKinic River/Jackson Park Project July 14, at the Zablocki branch library. Their talk is part of a series Friends of Jackson and Manitoba Parks offers monthly.
The MMSD/MCP partnership will soon start the construction phase of south side Jackson Park‘s project will remove a concrete channel, restore a natural riverbed, reduce flood risks, and redesign the park’s recreational and community spaces. The effort has already brought new pickleball, tennis, futsal and soccer facilities to the 117-acre regional park — with more amenities still on the way.
Since its inception, both MMSD and County Parks have asked for community feedback during the design process and provided renderings and videos of the project on their websites. Meeting organizers, Friends of Jackson and Manitoba Parks, are hoping the assembly, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. July 14 at Zablocki, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave. will give attendees an opportunity to ask their questions of the presenters and get answers.
“MMSD and MCP have been very clear describing the park when completed in three years,” said JoAnne Baez, Friends of Jackson and Manitoba Parks board member. “Now, neighbors want to know what our park will look like over the next 36 months. What will our community have access to in the park? Will there be street closures? Where will the Farmers Market take place? What are the plans to relocate the wildlife when the lagoon is dredged?”
MMSD is a regional government agency that provides water reclamation and flood management services for over 1 million people in 29 communities in the Greater Milwaukee Area. MMSD is known also for recycling nutrient-rich microbes resulting from the water reclamation process into Milorganite® a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer.
Milwaukee County Parks has responsibility for over 15,000 acres and 153 parks but faces an estimated $500 million maintenance backlog due to a stagnant $28–30 million operating budget and state-imposed limits on local tax revenue. The department relies heavily on user fees, the Milwaukee Parks Foundation, and volunteer “Friends Groups” to fund upkeep and smaller improvements.
Friends of Jackson and Manitoba Parks is a nonprofit organization via its fiscal agent, The Park People of Milwaukee Co., and one of the Parks Friends groups. Its mission is to empower local residents and resources to enhance Manitoba and Jackson Parks’ inclusive and sustainable spaces, ensuring they remain vibrant and accessible for generations. Its vision is to serve both immediate and long-distance park neighbors recognizing the value that these natural gems hold for all.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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