VoV Park renovation

A Neighborhood Beautification Initiative (#NIBMKE)              

In 2018 and 2019, Mayor Tom Barrett and the Milwaukee Common Council, created and funded the Neighborhood Improvement Beautification initiative (#NIBMKE), providing funding for numerous beautification, pocket parks, neighborhood branding, signage, greenscaping, trash cleanup and art projects across Milwaukee.  The NIBMKE initiative began in 2018 and will continue through 2020, working with agencies and neighborhood groups across Milwaukee. The project is managed by the City's Environmental Collaboration Office's HOME GR/OWN inititiative.

Interested in applying for funding for a 2020 project in your neighborhood? Click here for an application.

The largest #NIBMKE project is the renovation of the City's Victory over Violence Park on MLK Drive, just south of Center Street, begun in 2018. 

About 2 years ago, the ECO HOME GR/OWN initiative was invited to join the existing partership of residents and non-profits looking to renovate VoV Park and create a revitalized, beautiful, safe healthy green space to both remember those lost in Milwaukee violence in the past and serve as a place of healing for those currently suffering from trauma.

November 27, 2019 Victory over Violence Park press event

At this event, we gathered our community partners and discussed the park's history, the work to date and the next phase of 2020 construction. 

Our goal before July 1, 2020 is to install new paths, lannon stone edging and install 1,000's of plants, creating an informal botanical garden on one of Milwaukee's major commercial corridors.

Subsequent projects include a new stage, vendor booths, seating and public wifi within the park.

At the event, we unveiled the latest park renderings (below)

Click this link to watch the entire press event: https://fox6now.com/2019/11/27/multi-year-renovation-of-victory-over-violence-park-nears-an-end-to-be-complete-in-july-2020/

Event Photos

Tim McCollow (HG), Deshea Agee (BID #8), Mayor Tom Barrett	Charles Robinson, son of VoV Park creator
Attendees	Mayor Barrett speaks to group
Discussing the 2020 changes	King Drive is a Main St Community
Rendering showing 2020 changes	Spring 2019 aerial of the park

This fall, the iconic concrete monument was painted white.

See Victory over Violence Park from pumpkin-level! ECO pumpkin giveaway at VoV Park on October 22th

See Victory over Violence Park from the sky!

Due to the dense tree canopy on the Park's south end, we shot some drone video in April, before the trees leafed out, so you can see the park interior.

Watch video on YouTube

Here is drone video from summer 2019 as we were "deconstructing" before new construction begins.

Watch video on YouTube