The City of Wauwatosa announced Aug. 21 on Facebook that it had received a $1 million donation from the TOSA Foundation to help offset the cost of repairing the flood-damaged Hart Park, which has been closed since the rain-swollen Menomonee River overwhelmed the city-owned park.
The Facebook post also announced that parts of Hart Park will begin reopening Aug. 21, including the pedestrian bridge just west of the sand volleyball courts.
"This generous gift is a major boost for our community, both financially and emotionally," the city said of the TOSA Foundation's $1 million donation. "It will allow us to repair community spaces and ensure Hart Park remains a safe place for generations to come."
The California-based TOSA Foundation was founded by Wauwatosa natives John and Tashia Morgridge, both 1951 graduates of Wauwatosa High School who previously have given generously to community projects in their hometown. TOSA Pool at Hoyt Park, for example, was partly named after the foundation that provided the cornerstone funding for its creation and opening in 2011. More recently, the Morgridges gave $4.7 million in 2019 to Wauwatosa School District to create a new state-of-the-art pool at Tosa East.
The Aug. 10 flooding caused an estimated $9 million in damage to city-owned public infrastructure and recreational facilities, according to a previous city update. Much of the impact of the flooding in Tosa Village was centered on Hart Park's football stadium, Muellner Building, Rotary Stage, playground, softball diamond, skate park and tennis courts.
"This summer's flooding was devastating for Wauwatosa," Mayor Dennis McBride said at an Aug. 21 news conference at Hart Park that was livestreamed by WISN-TV. "We saw water levels and damage that will be remembered as one of the most significant events of our history."
The flooding of Hart Park, though ruining some of its facilities, occurred partially by design. After floods in 1997 and 1998, the city worked with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to expand the park from 20 to 50 acres, creating a wider flood plain for the rare occasions when extreme weather causes the adjacent river to rise to flood stage.
"But this is not the only place that Wauwatosa has taken action. We've made significant storm and sewer improvements across the city," McBride said, citing specific projects in the Tosa East Towne and Ruby Gardens neighborhoods.
In Hart Park, the football stadium, softball field and playground will remain closed for long-term repairs, the city said in its Aug. 21 update, while the tennis and volleyball courts are scheduled to reopen next week. (The Tosa East football team, which normally plays its home games at Hart Park, moved its season opener Aug. 21 to Vincent High School in Milwaukee, with game time 7 p.m.)
The Senior Center in the Muellner Building is expected to reopen within the next two weeks, though the elevator will not yet be working, the city said. Also in the Muellner Building, the Wauwatosa Curling Club has said it sees a long path to recovery after the floodwaters filled its lower-level clubroom and damaged the building's ice arena.
The city is reopening its Rotary Stage and green at Hart Park, though it will not be able to accommodate large events and rentals in the coming months.
And the city also is reopening 70th Street for park access while maintaining the street closure at 72nd Street.
Get additional Tosa Forward News coverage of the 2025 flood here.
