By Mayor Kathy Ehley
I encourage you get outside this spring and summer and explore the wonderful parks, trails and green spaces in Wauwatosa. I’ll be hosting two great events to do just that. The first is Kids to Parks Day in Hart Park on Saturday, May 18, 2019 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The second is “Walk with the Mayor” fitness challenge from May 29 through July 24. Read on for more details about each event.
For the first time, the City of Wauwatosa will host a day of outdoor play. It’s Kids to Parks Day, a national day created to connect kids and their families with local parks. I’ve worked with City staff, City citizen committees and local community organizations to bring you a variety of ways to explore and have fun in Hart Park that day.
You can join in on yoga, boot camp and kickball. Watch tennis, baseball and soccer demonstrations including wheelchair tennis and adaptive sports. Create chalk art, spin a hula hoop and play four square. Get your bike ready at the Bike Rodeo where bike repairs, bike registration, helmet fittings and safety tips will happen. Plant milkweed in the rain garden to attract butterflies, take a nature walk or play park trivia bingo. See how many park features you can find on the bingo card!
Learn more about dog adoptions and meet Tosa’ s Police Dog Koa. Watch an arborist demonstrate how to safely climb a tree, check out a skateboarder, touch a fire truck or see the boats created by the kids of All Hands Boatworks while doing a woodcraft project. Join in the fun. Consider riding your bike or walking to the park. You can find more information and an activity schedule on our city website at Wauwatosa.net/parks.
Tosa is dedicated to creating quality parks and open spaces with about 57 acres of city parks and over 2000 acres of county parks and parkways. We have six city parks close to where you live. Almost half of our residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park. Features vary in each park but we have splash pads, playgrounds, concert stages, and public art. Explore Tosa’s parks and green spaces this summer.
Get active in Tosa’s first “Walk with the Mayor’ fitness challenge. Kickoff is on May 29, National Senior Health Fitness Day, with weekly walks through July 24. Come walk with me as we work together to stay active, get fit and enjoy the health and recreation opportunities in Tosa. Visit Wauwatosa.net/fitness challenge for more information.
Warm weather brings outdoor concerts, the Farmer’s Markets, swimming and beer at TOSA Pool, the East Tosa Gran Prix Bike Race, the 4th of July Parade, National Night Out, patio and sidewalk dining and more. We’re lucky to live in a community that values and supports our parks and green spaces and likes to live outdoors in the summer.
It’s also “construction season.” Learn as much as you can about the construction planned by the city on our website. We’ve developed a map to show you where construction will happen in Tosa in the next five years based on the Capital Improvement Plan. We plan five years out; however, the Common Council approves the budget for only the upcoming year of projects. You’ll also find regular construction project updates and can sign up for construction news.
As more residents are out and about in Tosa, please pay attention to pedestrians, bikers and construction zones. In the past three years, there have been 47 motor vehicle accidents involving a pedestrian. We all share in the responsibility of keeping ourselves and others safe. Enjoy our city, be alert and be safe.
