Maple & Main

A few Saturdays ago, my wife and I headed out the door and down to our usual weekend breakfast destination, Dave’s Restaurant, on Broadway.

As we meandered down Main, I couldn’t help but notice something different about the streets, however, I couldn’t put a finger on it right away.

Was it the Christmas decorations on the lampposts?

No.

Was there more traffic than usual?

Nuh uh.

Less?

Not that either.

But something was definitely different.

And then, it dawned on me.

The streets looked clean- I mean REALLY clean.

Now, don’t get me wrong- it’s not like Main Street is always a trash-ridden mess (although it has it’s days). However, downtown sees a lot of traffic in a day, and that can take a toll on its cleanliness. And on windy days, Main Street seems to be the final destination for all of the trash in the entire City of Waukesha.

That’s just the way it is.

But on this day, the streets were spotless, the curbs were free of debris and the parking lots were without their usual trash.
It was impressive to say the least.

What was even more impressive was the reason behind the neat streetscape.

It’s referred to as “Operation Clean Sweep”; a Waukesha Police Department program that joins community volunteers with kids who are currently “involved in our City’s legal system” to assist in keeping the City landscape clean and tidy. They are currently working in conjunction with the Downtown Business Improvement District and concentrating their efforts on the downtown area.

And they are doing a great job.

Nothing makes people feel welcome and safe like a clean city.

From talking to the officers and volunteers involved, I got the impression that this was a relatively new program, but it appears that the initial run has been successful, thus leading me to believe that “Clean Sweep” will continue its efforts in the future.

I can only hope so.

As someone who has blogged his fair share of negative things about Waukesha, it is a program like this, with this kind of result, that rebuilds my confidence in this City.

The entire operation deserves a hearty “thank you”- the Police, the volunteers, the kids, the BID, and any others involved that I missed.

The streets look great, and downtown is a better place for it. It’s good for the City and it’s good for business.

Thank you.

A recent Journal Sentinel article reported the discussion between the Assistant City Attorney and the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry regarding an ordinance about un-leashed dogs in Waukesha.

It was fascinating. If you haven't read it, you must do so.

The fascinating part (for me anyway) wasn't the hubbub over the now "illegal" MacAurthur dog run, or the tongue lashing Park and Rec received from the Assistant City Attorney, or the emergency re-draft ordered by the Ordinance and Licensing Committee.

No, no- the fascinating part is this:

"The (Ordinance and Licensing) Committee members questioned how the dog run functioned for nearly 10 years with a ban on un-leashed dogs. There was no immediate answer."

Ten years. One hundred twenty months. Three thousand, six hundred, fifty days. The unleashed dog ordinance never went checked.

And now it's an issue.

Why is it any surprise?

As I walk the streets of downtown Waukesha, I pass numerous ordinance violations that sit, unnoticed and unchecked for days, weeks, months, and years.

Buildings in ruin. Garbage piled in alleys and entryways. Signs and banners displayed in windows without permits. Shopkeepers living in their shops. Campers parked in lot three, overnight, for days without a permit. These are just the tip of the ordinance violation iceberg.

And then there is my absolute favorite ordinance violation ever. This violation has a history as long as time itself.

It's covered under ordinance 12.04, number two: gambling devices. It includes ordinance 11.945.02: gambling, as well.

The ordinance describes gambling and slot machines as being illegal in the City of Waukesha.

But I can walk a few doors over from my house, right now, and belly up to a gaming machine. And when that one gets old, I can mosey down few more doors and belly up to another. And another. And another.

These machines are described as "for entertainment purposes only".

But the machine owners keep track of a player's credits. And they tell players to return the next day for their winnings. It's a known fact. And it is allowed to happen every day.

An illegal dog run? Big deal.

A 10-year ordinance violation should be of no surprise to the Ordinance and Licensing Committee.

Gambling has been alive and well right under our noses for a lot longer than that and no one gives a second glance to it; its public knowledge.

And just wait until unleashed dogs start gambling on their way home from a hard day of chasing geese at the cemetery. Next thing you know they will be relieving themselves in public (Ordinance 11.944.20).

Oh, wait; they already do that.

Let's just ban dogs altogether.

Ten years. Wow. I am surprised anyone admits they let it go that long.

Actually, I'm not really that surprised.

Bayshore.

It's been all over the local media in the past few days. And rightly so.

The re-opening of Bayshore center was quite a feat. A beautiful, new, shopping extravaganza seemingly rose from the ashes of a once downtrodden mall.

It's pretty impressive to say the least- offering all of the trendiest stores and restaurants available to shoppers in one destination.

The most amazing part is the design. In articles I have read and interviews I have seen, people are going on and on about how Bayshore was designed in the likeness of a downtown.



Instead of spending the day cooped up inside a mall, Bayshore offers shoppers the opportunity to meander along storefronts by walking outside.

The mall is designed with a main street running down its middle, a town square, and clean, wide sidewalks. Parking is available on the street or in garages placed conveniently off the main boulevard.

Shoppers experience a balance of both city and nature as they stroll the streets, shopping storefronts while passing beautiful trees and landscaped flowerbeds. A combination of shops, services, apartments, condos, restaurants, and offices, all available to foot traffic is what makes this center such an attraction to people.

Brilliant! Who would have thought people liked all of these things put in one convenient area?

I guess that's what $360 million dollars, ten years, and a common vision will get you.



In the past two days, I have overheard a few conversations of local business owners regarding Bayshore. They mentioned how they wished THEY could be part of something so wonderful as Bayshore.

I don't blame them. Clean streets, bustling crowds of shoppers, ample parking, a town center, beautiful trees.



Wow. Wouldn't that be grand?

Lucky dogs, those folks in Glendale. Lucky dogs.