Fund For Lake Michigan

Riverbank Transformation

A remedy for flooding and water pollution in the Menomonee Valley

We help communities transform forgotten industrial sites into vibrant public spaces. For decades, the Menomonee Valley was a no-go zone. Abandoned factories and decrepit railyards sat unused on top of century-old waste and fill. Today, the Menomonee Valley is home to growing businesses as well as Three Bridges Park which features 24 acres of parkland, two miles of trails, improved access to a cleaner river and an outdoor classroom connected with a new branch of the Urban Ecology Center. We contributed funds to restore a half-mile stretch of degraded riverbank. Now bioswales and native plants filter and treat stormwater that once flowed straight into the river and carried pollution to the lake.