Ask NOW: Grassy area in Village isn't too impressive

Is there a rumor you've heard that you would like to track down? Is there something in the community that needs to get fixed? Mary Malahy explains some of the mysteries of life in the Tosa area.

Grassy area in Village isn't too impressive

Issue: A few readers have written to me about the open area in the Village between Harwood and Wauwatosa avenues, noting that the grass is brown there and that the area could use some improvement.

Status: Kathy Ehley, executive director for the Village Business Improvement District, explained that maintaining this area is difficult because there is no water source nearby.

Further, the dirt is only 1½ inches deep. Debris from road construction in the 1970s lies underneath, she said.

These conditions make it difficult for grass or other plants to grow there. Ehley said she spent an entire summer trying to get the grass there to grow - watering it three times a day - but was unsuccessful. She has planted flowers, but they get pulled out, she added. This past summer the BID installed benches and waste receptacles there, and people seem to be enjoying them, Ehley said.

"We want it to be a useful green space, but it really needs to be embraced by the community," Ehley said.

Residents who are interested in helping can join the Wauwatosa Beautification Committee, a volunteer organization that works to improve Wauwatosa's appearance. Visit wbc-wi.org for information.

The city's master plan does not have a definite goal for this area. More discussion needs to happen due to the complexity of the area, Ehley said.

"There rarely is a simple solution if you really look at the ramifications from any changes," Ehley said.

Wauwatosa NOW .com

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