It’s not often you have the chance to name a 24-acre park in your city. But for the next week, you have exactly that chance!

The Urban Ecology Center is tremendously excited to be collaborating with Menomonee Valley Partners, the City of Milwaukee, the State of Wisconsin, and a number of other partners to open a new park the Menomonee Valley on Saturday, July 20. 

I am not a parent, so I can’t claim to know what the highs and lows of parenthood might be, but I imagine one of the most incredible experiences must be to witness the transition from not being into being: to have in your life, all of a sudden, a wonderful living thing that wasn’t there at all before.

I got to experience that a little bit the other day at the Menomonee Valley branch.

We’re prescribing outdoor activities to help you connect to nature in Milwaukee! Check out Episode 1 of our Nature Prescriptions video series with Glenna Holstein, Menomonee Valley Branch Manager, where she suggests a hike or a bike ride along the Hank Aaron State Trail.

I don’t remember the first time I walked into the Urban Ecology Center. This strikes me as unfortunate, because I have since witnessed many people’s first encounter with the Center, and it can be pretty incredible. I love watching people’s faces as the energy of the amazing work happening here breaks over them and they think, “This place is here? This is real?”

I really enjoy Thanksgiving, because it’s a whole day set aside for one of my favorite feelings — gratitude. I’d like to get a head start on giving thanks this year, because there is so much to be grateful for around here!