Village of Brown Deer, WI
Project Description
Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. (R/M) teamed with the Village of Brown Deer to plan and design a restoration and naturalization project for a stretch of Beaver Creek and Brown Deer Trail in the heart of the Village. Village officials recognized the need to revitalize a significant portion of the creek and the heavily-used trail that runs parallel to it. R/M set out to transform the entire appearance of the creek and trail by altering the layout and adding natural features to make a pedestrian-friendly corridor that connects the Village’s outer residential neighborhoods to a growing commercial and retail development corridor.
Restoration and naturalization efforts included the removal of 1,700 linear feet of concrete-lined channel and the excavation and grading of the entire corridor to create a natural meander look of the creek and pedestrian “bump-outs” on the multi-use trail that follow the meanders. The incorporation of river stone riffles and vegetated soil lifts along the creek add both a water quality aspect and a natural habitat for fish and wildlife. The repaving, realignment, and extension of the adjacent multi-use trail enhances a vital connection while providing rest areas for users to enjoy the natural look and feel of the newly restored Beaver Creek.
The Village received a $50,000 grant through the Fund for Lake Michigan to complete this project. Additionally, funding from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was utilized for the multi-use trail constructed with the stream restoration project. R/M assisted the Village to receive $122,490 through CDBG.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The end result is a design that combines water quality improvements, aesthetic quality, and the creation of wildlife habitats all into one recognizable and unique feature for a vital corridor in the Village of Brown Deer.