NEWS
THE PROMISE OF
Milwaukee’s Lakefront EIGHT WAYS TO MAKE THIS INCOMPARABLE PUBLIC SPACE EVEN BETTER BY VIRGINIA SMALL
M
ilwaukee’s lakefront is widely considered our foremost public amenity. It may even rank as the city’s “best idea.” Miles of contiguous stretches of public land were created by filling in lakebed, which Wisconsin’s constitutional “Public Trust Doctrine” mandates can be used solely for public purposes. That effort dates back to the 1890s, when the city’s nascent Park Commission instituted far-thinking policies to guarantee public access along Lake Michigan. Socialist leaders later expanded upon that vision and dramatically increased parkland by filling lakebeds. The 22-acre Lakeshore State Park, completed in 2007 atop debris from Milwaukee’s Deep Tunnel sewer expansion, culminated this century-long public enterprise. A popular oasis in all weather, Lakeshore State Park also links county and state recreational trails.
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