Lakeshore State Park

With over 140 parks and parkways totaling nearly 15,000 acres, the Milwaukee Park System typically offers a source of recreational enjoyment for Milwaukeeans and visitors alike.

Early commissioners conceived a park system that would form a "green belt" or series of scenic drives and parks encircling the county. Commissioners selected land not only for its natural beauty and interest, but also for its suitability for various forms of active and passive recreation.

When I went to the newly created Lakeshore State Park, the first new state park in about 20 years, I didn’t think it honored the commissioner’s early philosophy. With dozens of signs deterring folks for picnicking, swimming and fishing, this atypical park didn’t really provide the recreational enjoyment you’d anticipate.

See, the word "park" conjures up leafy canopies and lush foliage, which is what I naively expected to find at this "Island Park,"as dubbed by locals. But, let me tell you, don’t expect any of that at the new Lakeshore State Park or you might be disappointed like I initially was.

Just bear in mind that it’s not a "state park" in the sense that it’s composed of fertile forest trails, picnic areas and camping sites, but more like an urban oasis where folks can take a short stroll, connect with the waters of Lake Michigan and the outer limits of the city – I can assure you there’s a lot it has to offer.

So what can you expect? An appealing urban experience with a large, wide-open space that serves as a connection for pedestrian and bicycle access to the shoreline, as well as a park that offers a spectacular panoramas of Lake Michigan, the harbor and Milwaukee’s skyline, which looks marvelous from the bridge.

  

According to JSOnline, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson designated the site in 1998 and the Madison office of JJR drew up the master plan to make the kidney-shaped island into a usable space. In all but a few aspects they came up with a success, starting with the elegant foot bridge that takes you from a path south of Discovery World and into the actual park.

The silvery pedestrian bridge is "graceful and transparent" with a well-proportioned, open arch and a see-through railing decorated with stylized sunbursts, sailboats, kites and so on. Like the Calatrava this makes for numerous Kodak moments, rightfully so.

 

From the bridge a 3/4-mile path snakes around the park’s outer edges and links up with the Hank Aaron and Oak Leaf state trails. As a bicyclist I love the fact that this park finally connects the lakeshore bike paths north of Downtown with bike lanes through the Third Ward and southbound. It makes riding form the north shore to the south shore much easier and more pleasant.

This curvaceous path wasn’t designed solely for bicyclists. It’s also wide enough for hikers, rollerbladers, and even Segway-ers, all of which were in profusion on Saturday. Obviously, for anyone who loves to be outside biking, hiking, and enjoying the weather, the "Island Park" is ideal for an outdoor adventure or escape from the bustling city.

The park itself still looks just as barren as it did when it officially opened to the public on June 20, 2007. As Eric and I walked our bikes along the path, I noticed signs asking pedestrians to stay off the grass, explaining that native prairie flowers and grasses still haven’t grown in, hence the lack of fruitful greenery and desert-like landscape – still.

 

There aren’t any trees either, which is sort of strange for a park and probably confusing for visitors. But, after some research I learned that this was because of the rocky foundation and a soil cover that isn’t deep enough for roots to grow. Makes sense. It’s also because the site is in a flyway for migratory birds. According to Bill Brose, JJR vice president who led the design team, they didn’t want trees that birds of prey would use to attack little birds. Although it’s seemingly impossible, it still would be nice to have some shade on a hot summer day. Just sayin’.

Despite the lack of leafy green trees, there’s still clearly a problem with the birds – seagulls have already colonized the park in masses, just like most of the lakefront, and geese have discovered the island park long before many Milwaukeeans. Considering the park hasn’t really seen a huge influx of people, it’s highly unlikely that these flying nuisances will leave anytime soon. Maybe installing some flags to blow in the gracious breeze would cause a scare. Or perhaps a more aggressive tactic to keep the pests at bay, like Border Collies and German Sheppard onsite, as the park superintendent Clarke Johnson suggested to the Journal Sentinel. For now, though, just watch your step, people.

Besides bird droppings, I’m a little concern about litter. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the carry-in, carry-out-your-own-garbage policy will work since there weren’t any trashcans on site.

I guess I’m still getting used to the openness and I’m hoping its sprawling terrain eventaully grows on people. The sweeping views of the city and man-made attractions are breathtaking. At this point, I really felt that the new state park has the ability to create an inviting sense of place as I couldn’t help but be in awe of the natural sights combined with the man-made things around me – it’s quite placid, composed and beautiful.

   

There’s even a wheelchair-accessible floating pier, 20 boat slips, and stone steps that descend to the water. The only problem is that I’ve never seen a boat docked at one of the slips and you can’t fish – except in one specific location – or wade in the water at any time. So, I wonder, what’s the point?

Another thing I found strange, besides the desert-like landscaping and the signs warding off fisherman and picnickers, was the lack of benches. There were, maybe, two. I don’t care how young or fit you are, I think everyone would enjoy a place to sit down and relax after a bike ride or hike around the park; or just to admire the intimate view of Lake Michigan. Some drinking fountains – or "bubblers" as Wisconsinites call them – would be a nice addition, as well.

At first I thought this park was a joke as I remembered walking over the bridge and thinking, "That’s it?" But, somewhat surprisingly, a lot of city went into the creation of this park. According to JSOnline, the park was built from native species and recycled deep tunnel rock from the 1980s Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District project. The site also cleverly reuses red granite boulders salvaged from the shoreline for place markers. Construction crews also trucked in 80,000 cubic yards of dirt from the Marquette Interchange project. So, despite it feeling like a dessert wasteland, Lakeshore State Park truly is an urban experience as parts of Milwaukee are found throughout.

All in all, I’d rather have a park that exudes uniqueness and whimsy over cookie-cutter sameness. While it’s not quite there yet, this large, sun-drenched space in the lake has the making for an urban jewel.

Comments

[Suzanne]

You know, I never even think about this park- I bike through the Summerfest grounds to get to the south side. This would be far superior! But, the native prairie plants haven't taken YET? Hmmm.

[Mark]

One of my favorite panoramic photographs I've taken is from this park... http://www.flickr.com/photos/milwaukeemark/578478549/in/set-72157594311440534/

About the benches (and lack of trash cans) - they ran out of money is the short answer. Same thing goes for tree planting, etc. The whole "let the native plants grow" thing is basically a creative spin on lack of funds.

Fishing is allowed from the newly reconstructed pier on the west end of the "island" as well.

All-in-all, it's a great urban park but needs a bit of work. Unfortunately, I don't really see it as much of an improvement over what was there before other than a nice, new bridge, docks and some clean cut paving. Cest la vie, it's progress and certainly a step in the right direction. Is it super fantastic? No.. is it nice? Yes.

But hey... Milwaukee tends to enjoy siding with mediocrity. Take, for instance, Erie Street Plaza - an amazingly creative and environmentally sustainable concept entailing year-round bamboo groves and various "neat" elements. What started out as the winner of a world-wide design competition has been dismantled and cut back to the realm of - you guessed it - mediocrity. All in the face of NIMBYs and that wonderful thing we know all too well as finances. Oh, and of course you have to give our lovely (read sarcasm) Alderman Baumann due credit for his part in the bumble.

Rants aside, it really is a nice place and I'm happy to have it as part of the incredible Wisconsin State Park system and in downtown Milwaukee nonetheless. In five or ten years, it'll be truly remarkable. Until that time however, it is what it is.

[Karen]

I love that photo! That's why it's framed and adorning my wall. :)