History

Riverside Park was once a highlight of the Milwaukee County Park System, but over time, it had suffered from pollution, crime, and neglect. Frustrated by the park’s decline, a group of neighbors came together around a kitchen table to brainstorm ways to bring it back to life. That meeting sparked the creation of the Friends of Riverside Park. They started small—organizing field trips led by environmental educators for local schools and putting on events to bring the community together.

The Friends group's dreams were coming true when a generous donor gave them a double-wide trailer. This became the first home of the newly named Riverside Urban Environmental Center. They set it up behind Riverside High School and the Center was managed by founder Elsa Ankel (pictured lower left), along with a part-time educator, and a team of volunteers.

There are a lot of "Riversides" in Milwaukee. In order to stand out from the rest we decided to change our name. Ecology studies the interaction of every organism and they're environment. For us this means we connect people to nature and each other in our mutual home.

The Urban Ecology Center takes a fresh approach to environmental education by partnering with schools located within two miles of our branches. Instead of just one-time field trips, schools in our Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) sign up for a full year. That means students get to visit the parks multiple times throughout the school year—and keep coming back year after year.

As NEEP attendance grew, so did interest from other area schools. UEC also developed public programs that drew more folks from around the city. Soon, the little trailer was overwhelmed with activity. The solution was clear – UEC needed a new home.  

With much community input and a tremendous donation from the Burke Foundation, UEC opened its first branch in Riverside Park. NEEP participation triples and 47,000 people visit the Riverside Park. This sustainably-built, 20,000 square foot environmental community center makes an impression on neighbors and partners alike.

After identifying specific criteria for an ideal location, including accessibility, community interest, and potential impact on crime rates, the Washington Park branch opened in 2007. The branch offerings quickly expand from the NEEP program to public programming.

Menomonee Valley Partners and the UEC work together build the Menomonee Valley branch from a defunct tavern, Three Bridges Park from an abandoned contaminated railyard, and more!

Between Riverside and Washington Parks, NEEP serves 40 urban Milwaukee schools, enabling 20,888 students to experience urban wilderness.

The Urban Ecology Center and Menomonee Valley Partners opened the Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley branch on September 8th, 2012! The branch is an important milestone in our joint partnership, Menomonee Valley – From the Ground Up. Our environmental community center was once a vacant tavern at 37th and Pierce Streets. Designed by Uihlein Wilson Architects, the branch serves 22 southside schools. Like our building in Riverside Park, our Menomonee Valley branch serves as a model of "green" building options.

In 2008, the Rotary Club of Milwaukee selected our proposal to create an arboretum to celebrate their centennial anniversary in 2013. Since then, many new volunteers and donors have built on the momentum of the original Park Access Project culminating in the opening of the Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum in September 2013. Photo by Chris Winters.

From 2012 to 2018, 24 acres of land near our Menomonee Valley branch were transformed from brownfield to outdoor recreational greenspace along the southern bank of the Menomonee River. Today, people know this area as Three Bridges Park! Where a series of train tracks and piles of rubble once stood, native plant species now flourish and birds, mammals, frogs, toads, butterflies and dragonflies call this park home again. Over 10,300 herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees planted in Three Bridges Park.

Park usage skyrockets to over 500,000 visits between our three branches and green spaces.

A transformational gift becomes the catalyst for a new UEC campaign to officially begin. The Imagine Campaign focuses on four objectives: Remodeling the Washington Park building, Development of the Riverland property west of the Riverside branch, growing our endowment, and committing to operational excellence

As programming continued to grow it became clear a new building was needed at Washington Park. 🦊

a new UEC, 300 capacity, venue on Riverland