We have had great financial support from our local business community for the July 4th Community Bash in the park which will feature live music by the band Saturday Detention, beer, soda and food, the Milwaukee Brewer’s Racing Sausages and the Brewer’s game on our flat screen TV – all before the fireworks. Thank you to everyone who is partnering with us. Hunzinger Construction is lending the Friends their generator for the July 4th bash. We just need to pick it up from their Brookfield office on July 3rd. If anyone can assist with a trailer to get the generator let me know. Also, a postcard detailing the July 4th event and providing information on making a tax-deductible donation to the Friends was just mailed to 5,000 households and businesses in Hales Corners and Greenfield.
Our annual summer fundraising project of encouraging members of the Hales Corners Chamber of Commerce to purchase advertising banners is moving along. Several more local businesses have ordered banners and they will be hung on the pool fence with the other ones.
I was disappointed to learn yesterday that the Friends will not receive a donation from a local foundation that I have been working on consistently for four-plus years. This foundation has been very good to us in the past with prior donations but there so many worthy groups like the Friends who are seeking funds that it only makes sense that some of us will come up short some of the time. The good news is that I already have several new prospects in the hopper so we will see what those may generate.
I was able to get the floor plans for the pool house to a local boy scout who is entertaining putting lockers in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms for his Eagle Scout Project. This would be a nice addition to the pool house.
This spring the pool liner surface was sandblasted and repainted – the first time since 1989! It looks great – be sure to check it out!
Also, the Milwaukee County lifeguards and staff at the pool are doing an excellent job. Both pools opened last week and Morgan, the head life guard, likes things neat and clean—the front windows have never been so bright. The entire pool house on the inside is also very clean. Our diamond in the rough—the pool house and pool—in the heart of our Village is getting a bit shinier with each passing year.
The civil engineering work performed by Craig Donze and One Source Consulting for the Pavilion is in the process of being completed in Hales Corners Park. Craig and his staff have been working on this project for over a week. The revised civil plans will need to be approved by the County and this process will take several weeks. Once the civil plans are officially approved they then can be given to Hunzinger Construction and Kevin Lally, our Project manager. Kevin will then proceed to get the Design/Build subcontractor bids.
As I write this update, John Holz, our architect, who also designed St. Mary Catholic Faith Community church and the Veterans Memorial in Hales Corners, has continued to answer numerous questions from Milwaukee County after he redrew the site in the early spring. Although we are light years ahead of where we were last year at this time, my guess is that it will take until the end of September or October of this year to get all the necessary Milwaukee County Parks approvals for this project. Working with local government and public entities is all about process and finding patience one never knew one possessed. It can be frustrating for those of us (like me) who like to get things done at a faster pace.
I am brainstorming with Milwaukee County Parks on how we might be able to install a permanent sand volleyball court yet this summer. The court would be in the same area where the ice rink was located this past winter. I have been connected with a person at Bradford Breach who is passionate about helping us accomplish this project. Stay tuned for updates! Maybe I'm off base, but I envision summer night volley ball tournaments with teams like Consumer Beverage taking on the Open Flame or the Hales Corners Fire Department taking on the Hales Corners Lions Club. As always, we will let the free market determine the plans once the volleyball court is in.
If you would like to receive e-mail updates from the Friends or help out with any of our projects, please contact me and I will add you to our list. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Don Schwartz
President