Developers of the WPS Property on Sherman Ave. cut down most of the trees in the forest along Tenney Park and the Yahara River during two days around April 8. Without consulting neighbors or the Neighborhood Association or Alder Vedder and after repeated encouragement to communicate before taking action on their development, trees large and small were cut while the forest understory was completely removed.

This act was a shaky start to forming a good productive partnership towards building an exemplary development on the site. Can we still work with Tenney Place Development LLC to bring about a wonderful use for the 8.5 acre parcel? Absolutely. Will it be a simple project to accomplish? No, but it is worth it.

What is commonly described as the WPS property is adjacent to City and State historic landmarked park property. Though most of the site is given up to the building and a parking lot that covers several acres, the forest has provided significant habitat for animals and birds along the river. The park property along the river has been landmarked for its natural, historical, and cultural qualities, and not particularly for the qualities of its buildings, parking lots or sports structures. Like the City easements that mandate a screen of trees and vegetation between the River Parkway and adjacent developed properties, the forest on the WPS property also provided an esthetic buffer between park and concrete. Most of this was removed during the

In the neighborhood, some residents will agree with Mr. Campbell that the cutting served to "clean up" the property and their voices deserve to be heard as well. We encourage everyone who is interested to participate fully in working with the developers, city, alder, and neighborhood association. Much of the outcome of this participation will depend on the values and dedication of all who take an interest.

From a natural habitat perspective, much was lost and even more could be restored through parkland dedication and/or cooperative agreements with the owners. It is critical that the natural resource qualities be considered both as assets of the property for the community and as part of the economic and marketable values of the parcel.

We can note that hobbies like backyard habitat landscaping and bird feeding are not only the passions of a few naturalists but part of a multi-million dollar 'industry'. For instance, the Mad City Bird Festival is scheduled for May 14-15 in Madison and sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited. The Festival will include participation by the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, the North American Butterfly Association, Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin, Eagle Optics and Swarovski Optics. We note that the Madison Community Foundation donated more than $100,000 to the landscaping being carried out in Tenney Park and along the Yahara River. 160 volunteers carried out one planting on Saturday, April 17. This was the result of hundreds of hours of voluntary planning leading up to this and other events. These and other activities all highlight and contribute towards the value of the WPS property.

What's the accounting so far? With the removal of most of the forest we also lost a refuge for mink, opossum and raccoons right on the Isthmus and just a mile from the Capital Square, State Street and among other things, a 50 million dollar Arts District. Will the parcel be developed so we can once again look for flocks of orioles to migrate through the woods in Spring and Fall? Will residents again be able to walk along the woods and see the flowers blooming that flourished on the ground beneath the trees: the wood violets, trout lilies and SolomonŐs seal? Will people come to walk, fish, boat and feed the ducks along this part of the river and be able to find their own protected refuge from the cityscape? Before the cutting, people enjoyed being surrounded by river, park land, lake and woods; now they have an open vista of a parking lot and abandoned buildings. What's the best we can do now?

The WPS developers took us by surprise, had contractors work hard through the rain and wind, and greatly improved their view into the parkland that residents have supported with taxes, and protected and nurtured for the last one hundred years. We're told that this was carried out with good intentions. Some of us felt very angry in response to the cutting of the trees and shrubs. We have now communicated and shared a detailed history of planning for the site with elected officials and city officials. We are setting up meetings with the developers and had some coverage by the media. Alder Barbara Vedder is taking a significant role in these meetings and work. A significant event in the history of the site took place in May of last year when Ed Jepsen organized a meeting on the property that is included below. Anyone who is interested has had and will continue to have an opportunity to find out how much we do care about what happens at the WPS property.

And we can move on from here. So let's do that. Let's all work together to make sure the development becomes a showcase for what is possible along the Yahara Parkway and for the City of Madison. We, the neighbors and neighborhood, are committed to working hard in a cooperative productive development for the betterment of the whole community.

-Tim Olsen

TLNA President


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