If I Won the Lottery...I would build an Urban Ecology Center

On my recent trip to Milwaukee, we got to visit an amazing community center called an Urban Ecology Center.  Nestled in the river valley of the Milwaukee River and near a park designed by the famous landscape architect Olmsted, sits a playhouse for adults and children.  We learned that through the vision of the community and neighborhood, what started as a double wide trailer for ten years became a 6 million dollar capital campaign that built the first of three community centers which now employ over 70 people at three different sites.  It would be similar to someone asking you to envision and create a place and building for the community with no boundaries and a limitless possibility to create the ultimate outdoor/indoor creativity hub of your community.  We were blown away by the thought and intricate detail put into this amazing educational facility that was built with salvaged materials and made with as many green infrastructure processes as possible.  Equipped with solar power and catching stormwater to flush the toilets are just a few of the amazing and intricate details about this building that will make you never want to leave, and leave wanting one in your own community.

If I only won the lottery....

Check out these pictures and the captions describing them!  For more info on these incredible facilities visit http://urbanecologycenter.org/

Community trail covering over 60 miles I think of trail throughout the river valley...

A look at the community center from the parking lot.

Many rain barrels and cisterns whose overflow also fills a pond on site and is used to flush the toilets.

A look at the winter rain gardens and swales, plus outside seating.

Beautiful furniture throughout, some of which was harvested from the thinning of willow and poplar along the valley to allow other growth of native species to come through.

Making maple syrup and tapping trees all around the area.

Heating up the syrup on site!

A four story climbing wall and tower on site!

The sugar shack....

Here you can see the entrance with rain barrels and tipi on a green roof.

Olmsted designed river valley park

Lots of beautiful nature for exploring really close to the community center.

Plenty of mature trees and good views.

Overlooking into the valley

Pedestrian bridge over the trails system.

Backside view of the community center

Pedestrian trail and community gardens from the pedestrian bridge.

Planted memorial tree with memorial tag.

The view from the trail.

So you can rent canoes, kayaks, etc from the here too!

4 tier composting system gravitating down the hill.

Community gardens plots all along the trail.

Closeup of the composting.

Learning lab for groups.

Closeup of community gardens

Rain barrels and overflow pipe of cistern to stormwater pond.

Tipi on a green roof

A lot of the building was built using salvaged wood and materials.

Beautiful second story porch and patio to hang out on.

Rain water filter at downspout and bee hives.

Closeup of filter system.

Looking at sugar shack and the river valley where a brownfield remediation is taking place and they are recreating a savanna with native plants.

Closeup of filtration unit.

Tipi and green roof

Another learning laboratory and educational classroom

Book shelf and drums!

Upstairs open space with natural light

Seating area upstairs

Swivel door into classroom

The tower.

More rain barrels and downspout rain art leading to pond and rain gardens

follow the downspout down to the pond

looking down from second floor onto first floor seating area

Follow the downspout and looking at neighborhood

outdoor entrance to the slide

Taking a ride through the watershed

fun slide back into the community center

Instruments can be picked up and played by all

Looking upstairs from downstairs

Executive Directors office with loft for naps

Rain barrels for sale

Educational signage about green infrastructure

They collect and save seeds from native plants on site

Neighborhood and old Schlitz advertisement on brick