Funded Projects

The Friends have been an active partner since the opening of Lakeshore State Park in 2007. The following are a few examples of items you may see as you walk the park that were funded fully or in part by the Friends:

  • Park Benches: funded through donations and grants
  • Informational Kiosks at North and South Entrances: funded through donations and a Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP) grant
  • Educational Signage: permanent interpretive sign bases are installed throughout the park to provide visitors historical and environmental education. Some locations are switched out every couple years to provide new information. The Friends have helped fund 4 of these signs and all of the bases to date, and an additional 3 were provided in partnership with the Wisconsin Historical Society.
  • Property Orientation Signs: Installed in 2020; this project prompted additional updates to the information found in all of the park’s kiosks and FLSP provided additional funds to complete
  • Fishing Kiosk: Installed in 2020, this kiosk is found at the park’s most popular fishing area near the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse and includes applicable fishing brochures, general information, and research conducted by UWM School of Freshwater Sciences regarding fish species in the park
  • Fish Habitat Hotels: funded by the Friends and provided by Harbor District, these will aim to improve nesting and feeding habitat along sheet pile shores. Due to high water levels in 2019 and 2020, the installation has been moved to 2021.
  • Environmental Education Program Staff and Supplies: the Friends contribute annually to provide additional naturalist hours and materials for education programs.
  • Fishing Poles: through donations and grants, the Friends have been the primary provider of the equipment used for the popular Kids Fishing Clinics hosted by the park staff
  • New Prairie Areas: through donations and grants, the Friends have funded the installation of multiple prairies throughout the park. The small prairie just south of the big lawn area started restoration in 2016 and is close to complete. In 2020, the Friends secured a SWWT Mini Grant to help beautify and manage storm water at the south entrance through installation of native vegetated mats. These areas will continue to be worked on and enhanced for the next few years.