Hoyt Park: the trees lose again

Anyone who has driven anywhere along the Menomonee River Parkway in the past several months knows that it's being reconstructed a little at a time. Most of it is pretty much completed by now, except for one last stretch along Hoyt Park (where I happen to live!) One small component of the large project is the rehabilitation of the Hoyt Park pedestrian suspension bridge, which connects the park proper with Hoyt Park Pool. It will be a great relief to see those sadly needed repairs.

However, there's always a catch, isn't there? So often the catch is tree removal. And so it is with the bridge. I happened to be driving by yesterday and saw a crew lopping off limbs over the bridge. They were back again to day clearing more trees on the other side of the river.

Hank Aaron State Trail Run/Walk fundraiser in 3 Bridges Park

The Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail held its annual fundraising Run/Walk last Saturday. It was well attended, with over 1500 participants. For the first time the route included a leg through Three Bridges Park, from the bridge at 33rd Ct. west to the Valley Passage Bridge. That was the leg I covered and I offer a few samples of the photographs I caught there.

The first of the pack reaches the bridge at 33rd Ct.

Runners strung out along the Trail next to the newly built community garden plots.

Passing the 35th St. Viaduct and a field of coneflowers.

And across the Valley Passage Bridge.

To see more images from the event, go to my flickr set.
(Full disclosure: I am on the board of the Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail.)

This post is one in a series that relates to my Menomonee Valley Artist in Residency. For more information about the residency and links to previous posts and photographs, go to MV AiR.  

Celebrating a sunless solstice morning

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I’ve had June 21—today—on my calendar for over a month, looking forward to the solstice, longest day of the year. I arose early to see the solstice sunrise from 3 Bridges Park in the Menomonee Valley. If you were out this morning you already know what I saw: fog.

Here is the view from the park in the direction of sunrise. I was out for a couple hours but there was no hint of sunshine. The gods must be displeased with something. I didn’t take it personally and did use the opportunity to take a quiet walk in the park. I wasn’t alone, either. Every few minutes I’d see a cyclist or someone walking along the Hank Aaron Trail.

More often than not they’d reply to my “Good morning” with “Buenos Días.” Despite the fog, it was a very good morning. Here are a few things that I saw.

I caught a few shots from other parts of the Valley as well. Fog inspires introspection. I've been thinking about the Viaducts and how they serve simultaneously to make a connection across the Valley and a barrier to access the Valley itself.

 

This post is one in a series that relates to my Menomonee Valley Artist in Residency. For more information about the residency and links to previous posts and photographs, go to MV AiR.

Snowscapes in the Menomonee Valley

A flock of geese descending towards a small patch of open water on the Menomonee River at the Valley Passage Bridge crossing. I went out during the snowfall on Sunday and caught this. It was beautiful and haunting.

And the Industrial Park across Canal Street from the river was also haunting in its own way. It will come as no surprise to followers of this blog that one of the things I love about the Menomonee Valley is this juxtaposition of urban and wilderness!

Milwaukee River Greenway in fog

The view north from the Locust Street bridge in yesterday morning's fog.

Pedestrian bridge in the Menomonee Valley

I was sorry to have missed the installation yesterday of the first section of the new pedestrian bridge that will connect Mitchell Park (home of the domes) with the Menomonee Valley and the Hank Aaron State Trail. I won't try to repeat what others - who were on the scene yesterday - have written. There are two good stories about it in WUWM news and the Bike Federation's blog.

I tried to make up for not being there yesterday by going to see the second section of the three-part bridge installed. Here are a few pictures.

This is the section that was installed yesterday. I liked the idea of having the domes as a backdrop for the scene, so I hiked down to this site from the west end of the new airlines yard park. Initially that seemed like a good idea. Unfortunately, today's work took longer than yesterday's. As the sun rose the light changed and made the scene less dramatic. Still, the action was fascinating enough.

Utilizing two cranes, the crew is positioning the second section of the bridge over the railroad tracks.

Bringing the new section in line to make the connection with the existing section.

The two sections now erected are connected, making a single span over the tracks.

The view through the two joined sections towards Mitchell Park.

The third section, to be installed tomorrow, will complete the connection with Mitchell Park, to the right in this picture. Eventually, when it is fully operational, an extension of the Hank Aaron State Trail will run through the new park and cross over this bridge. From that vantage point will be a panoramic view of the Valley and downtown Milwaukee beyond.

(Full disclosure: I am a member of the Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail board of directors.)