MISSION

The mission of Lake Park Friends is to promote the preservation and enjoyment of Lake Park, to sponsor educational, recreational and cultural events in the park, and to raise funds for the restoration and enhancement of the park in the spirit of Frederick Law Olmsted.

DEVELOPMENT OF A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION

To these ends, Lake Park Friends has:

• Obtained nonprofit 501c3 tax status (1997), developed bylaws, and established committees.
• Published a newsletter for members, The Lake Park Lion, (quarterly initially, bi-monthly starting in 2001).
• Conducted annual membership drives. Currently we have approximately 360 members.
• Obtained the LPF office and telephone (2000), ph. 962-1680; purchased a computer (2001) and established regular office hours utilizing volunteers (2002). These help us maintain contact with members and provide space for our records and supplies.
• Designed and printed LPF t-shirts and golf shirts featuring the Lake Park Lion (2001).
• Held a membership appreciation picnic, Graze on the Grass (2001) and a special membership appreciation party at the UWM Hefter Center (November 2002).

Restoration of the Erastus B. Wolcott monument

This bronze equestrian monument is dedicated to a very important early physician in Milwaukee. Dr. Wolcott ministered to thousands of people in the pioneer community of Milwaukee and served as the Wisconsin Surgeon General during and after the Civil War. The monument was erected in 1920. It has been an important feature and favorite photographer's subject for park patrons for over 85 years.

Today the monument, it's benches and patio show the wear and tear of Milwaukee's outdoor environment. Lake Park Friends raised more than $100,000 to restore his illustrious monument. Restoration by renown conservator, Andrzej Dajnowski, will begin in early summer 2007.

Olmsted Walk Park Benches

16 "Central Park Style" benches have been installed throughout the park as a result of a colaboration between generous donors and Lake Park Friends. Each bench has a plaque recognizing the donor and a short excerpt from a nature related poem. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Lake Park while resting peacefully on one of these beautiful benches.

North Point Lighthouse

LPF, since 1998, has been actively involved in preservation and restoration efforts for the North Point Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters. LPF board members on the Lighthouse steering committee helped with these tasks: writing the business plan, securing an option to lease the facility, researching history, conducting tours, writing grant applications, developing promotional materials, organizing a fundraiser, developing a campaign cabinet, organizing neighbor meetings, development of new board and organizational structure for North Point Lighthouse Friends, Inc. In 2002, North Point Lighthouse Friends incorporated and received 501c3 tax status. In financial support of the project, in 2002 Lake Park Friends contributed $25,000 of a $50,000 grant LPF received from the Schoenleber Foundation. In October, a major grant from the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation was approved for the lighthouse project; local fundraising continues.

Flowerbeds

In 2001, the Nature Committee restored an abandoned park flowerbed near the warming house; in 2002 the bed was expanded and is now an appealing butterfly garden.

In 1999, LPF provided funds for planting flowers in the abandoned Grand Staircase bed. The County restored the Staircase and now maintains the beds. In 2000, LPF purchased two of the decorative urns lining the stairs.

Bluffs and ravines

In 2001, a Natural Areas Restoration Committee was established to work with County Parks Dept. staff to develop a restoration plan for the bluffs and ravines of Lake Park. Research has been done on the Frederick Law Olmsted vision (2001). Historic photos, planting plans, maps, correspondence, and old park annual reports have been collected and studied (2001 - ongoing).

In 2002, LPF engaged naturalist Richard Barloga to inventory vegetation in the ravines and on the park bluffs. Flowers, grasses, sedges, shrubs, and trees were inventoried, and, in some cases, mapped.

A map which highlights the bluffs and ravines was provided by the Parks Dept.; this map was enhanced by Lake Park Friends' Nature and History Committees in order to provide historical and nature education to park users as well as to guide future park restorations. The publications utilizing this map, and completed in early 2003, are:

• Lake Park Tree Walk
• A History Walk Through Lake Park
• Birds of Lake Park

The Lake Park History Map was completed in 2002.

In spring of 2003, members of the committee began working with Wahl Avenue residents and the Parks Dept. to develop plans to trim overgrown vegetation in the southern section of the park bluffs.

Weed-Outs of wildflower areas in park ravines and bluffs have been held every spring since 1996. Fall Weed-Outs to remove invasive Buckthorn have been conducted by volunteers every year since 2001.

As an organization we joined the National Association for Olmsted Parks and have purchased their materials about restoration of natural areas in Olmsted Parks. We also sent a representative to their national conference in New Jersey in 2002.

EDUCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL EVENTS

LPF has organized and sponsored:

• A Fall Children's Event (1996)
• A "Monumental Picnic" (1996)
• Sports Nights (night golf 1996; cross country skiing 2001)
• Participation in July 4th celebrations (1996-2005)
• Lake Park Cleanups (April, 1996-2005, Fall 2002)
• Lake Park Weed-Outs! (May, 1996-2007)
• Winter Ice Skating Parties (1997-2006). Lake Park Friends raises funds from the community to fund flooding of the rink every winter.
• "Musical Mondays" concerts in the park (1998 - 3 concerts; 1999 - 5 concerts; 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 - 8 concerts)
• Nature walks/events for adults and children, evening lecture series, erection of bat house and bird feeders. Nature events were held at least monthly for the last several years. Topics have ranged from Crow Behavior to Butterfly Gardening to Indian Mounds in Lake Park, and much more.
• Co-sponsored two Candidates Forums for County Executives (2002)
• Purchased and maintain educational bulletin board in Community Room

ADVOCACY

We have also successfully advocated for:

• The retention of the Pavilion Community Room for public use
• The retention of deed restrictions for all former city parks, which includes Lake Park (2000)
• Hiring of a Natural Areas Manager within
• Funds in the County Parks Dept. budget for Natural Areas restoration (2002)

COLLABORATIONS

As a Lake Park "support group" we cooperate with or co-sponsor most events and activities with the Milwaukee County Dept. of Parks, Recreation, and Culture. All of these events are free and open to the public. We have also collaborated with The Park People, Preserve Our Parks, Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, Water Tower Landmark Trust, Milwaukee Lake Park Lawn Bowling Association, Urban Ecology Center, Schlitz Audubon Center, Historic Milwaukee, and other groups on projects and events. We have appointed representatives to the Parks Foundation, the SE Wisconsin Beach Task Force, and since 2002, the North Point Lighthouse Friends board.