In the 1960s, lining urban rivers with cement was considered to be state-of-the-art storm water management. But thepractice proved otherwise, in places like Milwaukee's south side where the Kinnickinnic River flows.
Over the years, during major storm events water has over-topped the concrete, causing damage and tragically, sometimes taking lives.
However, heaps of work and partnerships are going into naturalizing it.
The Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, or SSCHC, play no small part in its transformation, engaging neighbors to care the KK and participate in its transformation.
Olivia Rayas is one of those neighbors. She recently purchased her compact house on Windlake Avenue, not far from Pulaski Park.
Rayas says she’s eager to get to know her neighbors. She decided one way to connect was through a green alley project.
SSCHC community engagement specialist, Iris Gonzalez, explains its part of the Pulaski Park Stormwater Management Plan. “We developed the plan with partners including the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works, MMSD,” she says.
Gonzalez says the alley behind Olivia Rayas' house, and another nearby were chosen because it was already on the City’s list to repave.
“Sixteenth Street helped the City write and receive a grant from MMSD to pay for the green part of the alley,” Gonzalez says.
The design features a 4-foot-wide strip in the middle of the alley.
“In that strip are interlocking porous pavement. Underneath there are two-foot deep system of layers of sand and gravel and different materials that can help store the water down, slow it down and then help clean it.” Gonzalez adds,”In a typical rain storm, this alley will be able to capture about 15,000 gallons of water.”
Gonzalez says it’s critical the neighbors understand the impacts green alleys are designed to have. “We’re also going to put up signage to explain what this is and what’s happening underneath,” she says.
Gonzalez says Rayas and fellow residents along the two greening alleys received a $140 credit and could choose from a variety of items designed to help reduce water use inside and storm water runoff outside home.
Olivia Rayas retrofitted her toilet to dual flush, and uses her new Brita to filter the tap water her family drinks. In the process, Rayas says she’s become more knowledgeable about the impacts of storm water and garbage that makes its way into it.
“Garbage on the streets drains into the sewer system and ends up in our rivers. It gets cleaned but we should do a better job before that to make sure garbage is not contaminating the water as it goes through our streets and into the drain systems. My family is helping with cleanups and programs like this,” Rayas says..
She wants her young daughter to know and benefit from what Rayas is learning. More than anything she’s seems hungry to help build a safe, child-friendly neighborhood.
“God willing, I’ll be here many, many years and so it’s important to know who my neighbors are. It can be difficult even though I met see a neighbor every day, I don’t know them. This was a way for me to connect. It’s important to have the communication from neighbor to neighbor,” Rayas says.
Diana Garcia, another green alley participant, welcomes us into her sunny duplex on South 19th.
She admits she was skeptical about the project. Her top concern had not been storm water, but safety.
“My garage had gotten broken into and we had just bought a brand new air pump and jack, and they took that; and then two days later they stole our Honda,” Garcia says.
But when neighbors started meeting to talk about the green alley project, Garcia says she gradually started to feel a change.
“Now we get the flyers and I never met my neighbors before until then and now I see them a lot more and if I see them on the street I say ‘oh, I know you.' But until then, I never talk to anybody except the guy next door,” Garcia says.
Iris Gonzalez has another program up her sleeve. She tells Garcia about benches neighbors will help design and construct for nearby Pulaski Park.
A few weeks later several neighbors travel across town to Riverwest to work with artist Marina Lee.
“Right now it’s setting up so it’s like a really tough clay. It is a modeling compound; plaster and paper pulp, that’s what gives it the flexibility. In a little bit we’ll be able to wet-sand it and then fiberglass goes on top,” Lee says.
Neighbors are helping to create five benches of various sizes and shapes
Travis Hope and his three kids participate whenever they can. “I’ve done cleanups before with Sixteenth Street Clinic, I’ve cleaned up their neighborhood around there before, and the river down by KK and Chase. I grew up around there and take my kids to the park,” Hope says.
He loves that this project has a water them and each bench, a name. “The first one we did was called The Splash and then I believe the biggest one is The Water Heart,” Hope says.
Sue Sauerberg is here with her son James. She wants this project to be meaningful for him, but also a classroom full of kids she works with.
She teaches 3rd and 4th grade special ed students at Lincoln Avenue Elementary School just a few blocks from Pulaski.
“Our third and fourth grade teams will be adopting part of the park. We’ll be doing the weeding and doing lots of hands-on science activities and measurements; anything that can help connect kids to nature,” Sauerberg says.
She says nature is critical for cognitive growth. “So I’m all in! Get them outside, get them learning. And it’s where the kids I work here are going to be successful,” Sauerberg says.
Crews have installed the five colorfully decorated benches throughout Pulaski Park. Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers is hosting small parties to continue to connect neighbors.
Teacher Sue Sauerberg believes all of these activities - greening alleys and the artistic collaboration in Pulaski Park – have the power to change all sorts of perspectives.
