The Lydell Avenue/Silver Spring Drive Intersection Traffic Signal System Replacement Project will begin in early July 2021, as part of a larger DOT traffic safety improvement project running to the west on Silver Spring Drive.  

A federal DOT Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Grant (90%) was secured for this project with the City of Glendale and the Village of Whitefish Bay funding the remaining 10%. A new traffic signal system will be installed at this intersection replacing the old traffic signal system. A variety of safety features are being included in this project to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, as well as the motorists.  This project is scheduled to be completed in November 2021.  

What began as a local high schooler’s class project will soon become a reality, making one of the Village’s busiest crosswalks more accessible for pedestrians with disabilities.

For the final project in her Leadership for Social Justice class, Whitefish Bay High School student Olivia Maillet was tasked with forming a plan to make a positive change in her community. She was inspired by her mother, who is visually impaired, to focus on improvements that would benefit those with disabilities.

Though she had witnessed some of the challenges her mom faces, Maillet’s class introduced her to the concept of ableism. Plus, she says, “Taking the class opened my eyes to the everyday things that able-bodied people take for granted. For example, able-bodied people cross the street without a second thought while this task could be potentially life-threatening to people who are disabled.” For her project, Maillet dreamed up a plan to install an Accessible Pedestrian Signal in the Village.

But, as the school year ended, Maillet sought to extend her work beyond the classroom.

With the help of her teacher, Mr. Johnson, and John Edlebeck, P.E., Director of Public Works, Maillet put together an estimate, and she presented her project to the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation. They, along with the Business Improvement District (Merchants of Whitefish Bay) and the Village (TID#1), agreed to fund a new Accessible Pedestrian Signal at the intersection of Santa Monica and Silver Spring Drives. Project Funding:

The Accessible Traffic Signal, which can detect motion and allows pedestrians to actuate the crosswalk button on their phone via Bluetooth, has been installed and is currently operational at Santa Monica Boulevard and Silver Spring Drive.

Again this year, the Farmers Market, a ‘Simply Unbeetable’ event, will be held in the Aurora Parking Lot, 325 E. Silver Spring Drive. Shop fresh and organic produce, meats, breads, flowers, honey, vegan and gluten-free items, sweet treats, coffee, eggs, and more! Find more information on the Farmers Market Facebook page.

Cheers! 1840 Brewing Company will host their traveling beer garden in Klode Park on two Saturdays this summer. Guests can enjoy food, drinks, and live music each time. Check out their beer menu here.

Join us on Silver Spring Drive on the first Thursday of each month, June through September, for a few extra hours of shopping (and sipping!). Participating businesses will stay open late and will offer wine (June and August) and beer (July and September) for you to enjoy. Plus you can expect special promotions and great live music each evening. Learn more on the Merchants of Whitefish Bay website.

What’s the Best Day in the Bay? You know it’s the Fourth of July! The Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation is thrilled to keep the tradition going in 2021. Don’t miss the annual parade (following a new route!), and stop by Klode Park for food, drinks, games, and, of course, fireworks! For details, visit the Civic Foundation’s website.

The Merchants along with Amdur Productions will be closing Silver Spring Drive, from Santa Monica Boulevard to Hollywood Avenue so that 100+ artists from all over the country can set up tier booths and present artworks for visitors to browse and shop. The juried artists, live entertainment, and food and beverages from local restaurants will prove to make this a wonderful event for the whole family. Watch for details at the Merchants of Whitefish Bay website and Facebook page.

This annual event kicks off with businesses opening early and bringing some of their goods out on the street to create a fun environment for shoppers. On Saturday, the sales continue throughout the day and, at Berkeley Boulevard, the street will be closed and the Merchants of Whitefish Bay along with Yellow Wood will set up a fun ‘Kids Adventure Zone,’ complete with a climbing wall and more. Learn more on the Merchants of Whitefish Bay website and Facebook page.

Bring your own blankets and chairs, and enjoy a live concert on Silver Spring Drive! This free event is organized by the Merchants of Whitefish Bay and the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation. Look for more details on each organization’s website.

Close out the summer with food, drinks, games, live music, and fun for the whole family! Proceeds benefit St. Monica Parish. Watch for updates on St. Monica’s website. St. Monica’s is also planning a ‘fun run’ event in conjunction with the Parish Fair – stay tuned for details.

Look for the Village Band at various community events this summer – and stay tuned for a concert schedule! For the most up-to-date information, follow the band on Facebook.

District Health Nurse Job Opening: The Whitefish Bay School District is hiring a District Health Nurse. The primary role of the District Health Nurse is to serve as the primary health consultant by assisting students, families and staff in achieving optimal levels of wellness through individual health teaching, health counseling and health promotions. Salary range is $45,000.00 to $50,000.00. Deadline to apply is June 25 at 5:00 p.m. Applications can be found on GovernmentJobs.com

Village Hall Bioswale Project: The Bioswale Installation at the Village Hall Parking Lot has begun! This project will involve the installation of a stormwater bioswale on the west side of the parking lot located between the Public Library and Village Hall.

The bioswale will filter storm water running off both the existing parking lot and the adjacent street to improve the stormwater quality entering the storm sewer. The project was funded by a grant from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Green Solutions program!

New educational signage has been installed at Silver Spring Park. The joint project at Silver Spring Park between the Village and the Whitefish Bay Garden Club created a bio-retention pond and a rain garden. These infrastructures will capture rain water to limit runoff to Lake Michigan. Preventing water runoff from entering sewers and the lake is important. These green infrastructures are planted with native plants to secure the soil and absorb water with their deep roots. Native plants have the added benefit of attracting pollinators whose habitat has been rapidly depleting. The signage explains the functions of these infrastructures and plants. These water retention structures and the native plants selected serve as a model for residents to use on their properties to help retain rain water where it falls.

Whitefish Bay Public Library Summer Hours: Starting June 1, the library’s new hours will be:

Other changes to library services:

Summer Reading and Programming: Check out our events calendar for our upcoming kids summer programming including outdoor all ages storytime, take and makes, zoom crafting sessions and more. And don’t forget about our summer reading program for all ages. You can pre-register for summer reading now. The program begins on June 14.

Virtual Mystery Book Club, Thursday, June 10: Our Mystery Book Club meets once a month and is led by librarian Sharon Nagel. This month we're reading Wilde Lake by Laura Lippman. This meeting will take place virtually on Zoom. Meeting ID: 977 1128 0790

Passcode: 408681.

Bay Bridge Discussion Series: Our discussion series resumes in June with Ava DuVernay’s documentary 13th, available to watch now at BayBridgeWisconsin.org. Gather your friends, family, co-workers, or book groups together again to watch and discuss the film IN ADVANCE.

Then on June 16, at 7:00 p.m., join us to welcome Edward L. Hennings, a highly sought-after motivational speaker and prison reform policy advocate, followed by a Question & Answer session with Jacob Haller of Legal Action Wisconsin. Jacob works to support the stability of people exiting custody with an end goal of reducing the recidivism rate. Register for the June 16, 7:00 pm speaker presentation and Q&A session here.

Solar In Whitefish Bay: Thinking about going solar? Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee is a great way to reduce your energy bills, support the local economy, and help create a healthier environment!

If you are a Milwaukee County home or business owner, attend a free, virtual Power Hour webinar on Zoom to learn more about the Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee, a program that makes solar more accessible and affordable in our community. Come learn about the basics of solar, its financial benefits, and how the solar group-buy program works. After the session, you can schedule a free, no-obligation site assessment/cost estimate with our competitively-selected solar installer. The July 7 presentation is sponsored by the Whitefish Bay Environmental Group.

Visit www.GreaterMilwaukee.GrowSolar.org for more information. Come join us and see if solar is right for you! Contact Peter Murphy, Solar Program Director at MREA with any questions: PeterM@midwestrenew.org