Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Bender Park boat launch is closed as crews clear the way for boats to access Lake Michigan.
The Bender Park boat launch has been closed as work to dredge the harbor is under way. The county has committed $150,000 to dredge the Bender Park harbor this spring while they plan a long-term solution to low water levels at the boat launch. Details are still being finalized on when the work will be completed, County Supervisor Steve Taylor said. The county is also studying solutions for problems at the Bender Park beach, which has been plagued by algae, e-coli and noxious odors.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Dredging at the Bender Park boat launch won't be done as soon as hoped but is still in the works.
Plans to dredge the Bender Park boat launch are moving forward but won't be completed as soon as hoped. Milwaukee County just received its permit to dredge and has started bidding out the job, County Supervisor Steve Taylor said. Officials previously said they expected the dredging to be completed by May 1. The county has committed $150,000 to dredge the Bender Park harbor this spring while they plan a long-term solution to low water levels at the boat launch. Meanwhile, Taylor also said that what appears to be a tree-clearing at Bender Park is actually an annual maintenance project done each spring. "There is no major tree removal project going on," Taylor said in an e-mail. See this previous Patch story for more on problems at Bender …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
As Oak Creek's lakefront park continues to battle problems with its boat launch and beach, Milwaukee County and city officials are making progress on fixes.
The problems at Oak Creek's Bender Park, in an otherwise gorgeous setting on the banks of Lake Michigan, have been aplenty over the past few years. The beach has been plagued by algae, e-coli and noxious odors and was closed for large parts of a blazing-hot summer last year. Boaters, meanwhile, have found it difficult to access the lake due to low water levels. City officials say the problems have the attention of Milwaukee County. The county is committing $150,000 to dredge the Bender Park harbor this spring while they plan a long-term solution, said Alderman Mike Toman, whose district encompasses the park. The dredging is expected to be completed by May 1. Dredging was supposed to be done last year, too, but was never completed, Toman …
Friday, February 1, 2013
County Supervisor Pat Jursik says many residents have asked the county to add land to Bender Park through different means.
Many residents have expressed concern about the possibility of hunting and trapping on new land at Bender Park, County Supervisor Pat Jursik wrote in her monthly newsletter. A nonprofit organization wants to acquire 95 acres near the park through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and then transfer the land to the county for incorporation into Bender Park. Under the rules of the Knowles-Nelson program, the land must be open for hunting and trapping. This isn't something allowed under Milwaukee County ordinances, but officials are considering changing the ordinances to allow for limited hunting and trapping at Bender Park. Jursik said constituents have asked the county to acquire the land in a different way. The worry is that it would …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Nintey-five acres could be incorporated into Bender Park, but under rules of a state grant program, the land must be opened up to hunting. County officials say limited bow hunting and live trapping may be allowed.
Limited hunting and trapping may be in store for Oak Creek's Bender Park, if a 95-acre expansion goes through. The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving natural resource-rich lands, wants to acquire three parcels of land adjacent to Bender Park through the state's Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program The land would be transferred to the Milwaukee County Parks Department for incorporation into Bender Park. Under the rules of the Knowles-Nelson program, the land must be open for hunting and trapping. This isn't something allowed under Milwaukee County ordinances, but officials are proposing to change the ordinances to allow for limited hunting and trapping at Bender Park. Interim Parks Director Jim Keegan told the …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Oak Creek has seen movement recently in its long-time mission to redevelop the city's lakefront. What do you think about the project and its progress?
For decades, Oak Creek has told residents it wants to give them better access to the lakefront. In recent years, city leaders have talked about remediating the land and putting in a mix of public parkland, housing, retail and commercial development. Finally, there's movement on this. Work began this month on the former DuPont and EPEC properties, which lie on the southern end of the 250 vacant acres north of Bender Park. Before winter sets in, crews are busy removing trees and concrete slabs and excavating along the bluff. When work is completed and approved by regulatory agencies, ownership of those two properties will transfer to Oak Creek, which probably be sometime in 2014. Roughly half of the parcel will be marketed for private …
Saturday, November 24, 2012
As lakefront redevelopment progresses, the city is planning a multi-use path to connect the area east of Fifth Avenue with Bender Park.
A paved pathway is planned to connect the upper part of Bender Park with the lakefront redevelopment area east of Fifth Avenue. Oak Creek is making progress on redeveloping the southern portion of the 250 vacant acres north of Bender Park, with part of the land projected to open to the public in 2014. The pathway, at about 4,200 linear feet, could be used by bicyclists and pedestrians. About $93,400 in grant funding will help pay for the construction of the pathway. The city is committing $140,200, paid for through the $1 million budgeted in 2013 for lakefront redevelopment.
Monday, October 29, 2012
The impact of Hurricane Sandy is being felt in Oak Creek and eastern Wisconsin, as high winds and huge waves are expected on Lake Michigan.
High winds caused by Hurricane Sandy have prompted officials to close Bender Park this week. The park will be closed from 5 p.m. Monday until Friday due to potentially dangerous conditions, according to the city's website. Although the biggest impact from the hurricane will be felt on the east coast, forecasters predict it will also affect communities near Lake Michigan: the National Weather Service says gusts could reach between 45 and 60 mph over Lake Michigan and cause dangerous high waves of 14 to 18 feet.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Police say a 25-year-old man refused to get out of his car, which contained several drugs and paraphernalia.
A 25-year-old Milwaukee man at Bender Park had to be forcibly removed from his vehicle, which contained several drugs and paraphernalia, according to Oak Creek police. According to a police report: An officer patrolling the park on foot smelled marijuana as he approached the vehicle about 4:55 p.m. Thursday. The driver told him he was just sitting in his vehicle and not doing anything wrong. But the man refused to step out of the vehicle and tried to hold the door shut. The officer removed the man from the vehicle and took him into custody. In a search of the vehicle, police found crack cocaine, Oxycodone and marijuana and crack cocaine pipes. Police also found he was driving after revocation and had two warrants with the South Milwaukee …
Friday, July 27, 2012
A water quality advisory is in effect at Bender Park following recent monitoring for the E. coli bacteria.
A water quality advisory is in effect at Bender Park beach. According to the advisory, residents should swim at their own risk, not ingest the water and shower after swimming. Recent monitoring for the E. coli bacteria shows an increased risk for illness. The hot and dry weather has caused problems at the Bender Park beach, which was shut down for about two weeks earlier this summer due to elevated levels of E. coli.
42.871342
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Bender Park
4300 E Ryan Rd, Oak Creek, WI
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Dennis Wink
10:09 am on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Very, very happy to hear this is finally getting started. Next thing is to get the American Flag up and flying before Memorial Day. Lets see what can be done! more ›