Like Us
Follow Us
Nature hangs a perfect pitch for rain garden ribbon cutting
When I talked to the principal at Maryland Avenue Montessori School this morning, we agreed it's a great day for the ribbon cutting ceremony on the MPS school's new rain garden. There was a light drizzle and the show would go on.
As long as there's been an East Side, there's been a Maryland Avenue School (though with different monikers before 1912). The current building was erected in 1887, making it 125 years old this year, and it replaced an earlier, smaller building.
The K3-8 school – which serves just under 400 students and is among the best performing and most diverse in the district – is located on the high-traffic, high-profile intersection of Maryland and Prospect Avenues. So, when the parents and other members of the school community raised enough money for a new rain garden that was completed in late August, it was good news for the entire community.
Before you click "post talkback," MPS did not fund any of the 14,000-square foot garden project. The money was raised in the school community and from donations collected by parents. (Disclosure: I serve on the school's governance council.)
The garden replaces the cracked asphalt of a 10,000-square foot triangular parking lot that was difficult to navigate, thanks to its shape. The project was timed to coincide with district plans to repave the school's larger parking lot northeast of the building. It is the first step toward turning the school's sea of asphalt into a greener space (again, NOT on this district's dime).
Now, this rain garden will use an underground rainwater harvesting system to collect and re-use about 42,250 gallons of water each year. While the students benefit from using the garden as a natural classroom and the neighborhood wins from the beautification of a parking lot into a stunning garden, the whole city benefits from removing tens of thousands of gallons from the storm sewers each year, too. Today's ribbon cutting takes place at the school at noon. All are invited.
And the good news is that while the garden will be wet from the morning rain, it looks like the sun is peeking through now. The perfect weather for a ribbon cutting ceremony for a rain garden.
Talkbacks
 |
No Talkbacks for this article. Post your comment/review now |
Facebook comments
Disclaimer: Please note that Facebook comments are posted through Facebook and cannot be approved, edited or declined by OnMilwaukee.com. The opinions expressed in Facebook comments do not necessarily reflect those of OnMilwaukee.com or its staff.
Recent Articles & Blogs by Bobby Tanzilo
Welcome to Cleveland
Published June 19, 2013
I recently learned about a bit of Brew City humor that the creators of "This is Spinal Tap" would certainly appreciate, and that I'm sure you'll all tell me via talkback that you've known about for years.
"30 Americans" balances nuanced and provocative
Published June 18, 2013
As part of its all-year celebration of American art, MAM opened "30 Americans," a survey of African-American contemporary art drawn from the Rubell Family Collection. The show has a wide variety of work, from the nuanced to the impactful.
Iron Block loses its scaffolding
Published June 17, 2013
After years of seeing the historic Iron Block building on Water and Wisconsin clothed in stark white paint - and most recently - hidden behind scaffolding - it's nice to see a subtler tone and a copper brown on the storefront and mezzanine levels.
Three square "meals" at the Haggerty
Published June 14, 2013
At the Haggerty Museum of Art on the Marquette University campus, which runs a number of shows concurrently, the exhibitions are digestible and varied. You can get your arms around them and really focus and imbibe. At the moment, there are four shows on view, three of which opened together last week and all of which close on July 28.
Catching up with Wake Owl
Published June 13, 2013
When Colyn Cameron and his band Wake Owl made their Milwaukee debut at the Cactus Club back in February, the debut EP, "Wild Country," had just been released. Now, the band is back for a $10 show in The Pabst Pub and we caught up with Cameron to see how things have changed for the band.
Urban spelunking: Behind the scenes at Turner Hall
Published June 12, 2013
If you only visit Turner Hall, 1034 N. 4th St., for concerts, it's easy in the dark of night and the dimly lit concert experience to miss the beauty of the building itself. Built in 1882 and opened in 1883, the gorgeous romanesque revival Cream City brick clubhouse was designed by Henry C. Koch - who designed Milwaukee's City Hall - for the Milwaukee Turners.
Prepping for 130th anniversary, 8th Street School becomes a birthday cake
Published June 11, 2013
As it nears its 130th birthday, Eighth Street School on the corner of 8th and Michigan in Downtown Milwaukee, is getting a makeover.
The return of the Iron Block
Published June 10, 2013
Milwaukee's iconic Iron Block Building, on the corner of Water and Wisconsin, will be re-christened on Monday, June 17.
Gothic Milwaukee: 10 great buildings
Published June 9, 2013
One could expend a lot of verbiage on Gothic churches here, so to make sure this list of 10 great Gothic buildings in Milwaukee doesn't become a list of 10 Gothic churches in Milwaukee, I've limited myself to one house of worship. You may or may not agree about these buildings being the best examples of Gothic architecture in Milwaukee but you can't deny they are all landmarks and lovely ones at that.
World-class AGS collection puts Milwaukee on the map
Published June 6, 2013
Call it the worst-kept secret or the best-kept secret - depending on your point of view - but the American Geographical Society Library at UW-Milwaukee's Golda Meir Library is one of the best geography resources in the country. The collection holds more than a million items, ranging from maps and atlases to pamphlets and journals, globes and photographs of all kinds. Though it is housed in Milwaukee, the AGS collection has roots in New York and covers the entire planet.
