Milwaukee, WI
Harley-Davidson Unveils Davidson Park, a New Community Park at Iconic Milwaukee Headquarters
Press Release | June 24, 2024
Harley-Davidson today formally unveiled the newly created community park, Davidson Park, at its iconic Juneau Avenue campus in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee, WI (June 24, 2024) – Harley-Davidson today formally unveiled the newly created community park, Davidson Park, at its iconic Juneau Avenue campus in Milwaukee.
The project, pioneered by the Harley-Davidson Foundation (“the Foundation”), has been created in partnership with internationally acclaimed designers, Heatherwick Studio who conceived and oversaw an original design to transform the 4-acre parking lot just south of the Company’s 3700 W. Juneau Avenue building into a soulful green space that can be used by everyone who lives in and visits Milwaukee’s Near West Side (“NWS”). As part of the project team, HGA served as the architect and engineer of record and Greenfire Management Services as the construction partner, with both Milwaukee-based firms partnering with Heatherwick Studio to bring the design vision to life.
“When we started this project, we did so with one main goal, and that was to further connect the Company with our hometown Milwaukee, a place that we’ve been proud to call home for over 120 years,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “No matter how fast you move forward, you can never forget where you’ve come from – this project both celebrates our heritage and reinforces the power of the Harley-Davidson brand to be a force for good within our communities.”
“Davidson Park has been an extraordinary collaboration between the studio and local partners, schools, artists and the Forest County Potawatomi community, to transform an uninspiring concrete parking lot into a new public park and events amphitheatre for Milwaukee. Created for the local community, with the community’s collaboration and help, it’s a place where people can come together with friends and family to enjoy some of the wildness of Wisconsin’s incredible nature, listen to the state’s best music, or experience the energy of a motorcycle rally. Harley-Davidson has been part of Near West Side’s history for over 120 years and the park is a natural next chapter in their joint story. As the plants grow and mature, the intention is that the space increasingly honours both the heritage of Harley-Davidson and gives the residents something to not just enjoy, but to feel proud of,” said Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Director, Heatherwick Studios.
“On behalf of the Harley-Davidson Foundation, we are really excited to formally unveil Davidson Park – we believe that the Park will provide a much-needed greenspace in our local community – but importantly a space that can be shared by all,” said Tori Termaat, President, The Harley-Davidson Foundation.
History and Concept
In 2021, the Foundation sponsored an Appreciative Inquiry Summit in partnership with Near West Side Partners, a non-profit founded to make the NWS a great place to live, work, play and stay by revitalizing and sustaining thriving business and residential corridors.
The Summit brought together over 200 NWS stakeholders, including residents, youth, and local businesses, to realize their hopes and dreams for the neighborhood. Among the key community needs identified was a safe green space that supports health, well-being, art and culture, and a place for youth to play. Input from the stakeholders served as the basis for Heatherwick Studio’s unique community park design.
From the start, the ambition for Davidson Park has been to create an inclusive place that everyone who lives or visits NWS can call their own – whether they use the park as a space to relax, to enjoy the local art and culture scene or attend an event.
“Davidson Park is a testament to the power of collaboration and listening,” says Peter Balistrieri, Principal and National Corporate Market Sector Leader at HGA. “Voices from all over the Near West Side—from Potawatomi leaders to local students and community groups—played a crucial role throughout the process. This is truly a park for the community, by the community.”
Davidson Park Features
The Hub and Foundation Stone
Celebrating togetherness and paying homage to history and community, at the heart of Davidson Park is “The Hub”, a sunken multi-use events space, an amphitheatre approximately 272 feet wide with tiered seating, set among lush plants and trees. The design promotes coming together with its circular layout defined by a combination of motorcycle driveways and turning circles, parking bays, sidewalks, plants, seats, and 360-degree viewpoints.
In one direction, “The Hub” will provide views of the brick buildings of the original home of Harley-Davidson. In the other, visitors will see a park sown with 120 native plant species, including 20 species of trees and 100 species of perennials, some of which are sacred to the Forest County Potawatomi tribe, who have helped provide guidance throughout the process.
The Hub has been built with ten types of locally sourced brick, natural wany-edge timber, and weathered steel with a beautiful warm patina. In addition to tripling the green space such as lawns and plantings, the park integrates a dynamic system of green infrastructure, including native bioswales, permeable pavers and cisterns to capture hundreds of thousands of gallons of stormwater – a significant contribution to regional infrastructure and the environment. With a commitment to sustainability, the park’s design will be one of the first SITES—a rating system for sustainable land design and development—certified projects in Wisconsin.
The Foundation Stone is located at the center of the Hub (the event and gatherings amphitheater, recessed into the ground) and is four feet in diameter made from cast iron. The Foundation Stone has been designed by local artist, and Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design student, Megan Huss, and celebrates the Near West Side and the creation of this new community park in Milwaukee.
“I am incredibly honored to be a part of the history of Harley-Davidson and I am able to showcase the sense of community in the Near West Side neighborhood through my work,” said Huss.
Main Street
Main Street is the main pedestrian thoroughfare through the Park, envisioned for use for events such as farmers’ markets, craft fairs & food trucks. The street also connects all major areas of the park including the Hub, playground, community lawn, picnic knoll, serenity garden, and viewing lawns, surrounded by native plants, including one hundred species of perennials and twenty species of trees. People can walk across or around Main Street to access the Hub, making it a lively place for social interaction. At night, the street will have a festive ambiance with catenary lights above that change colors.
Union Plaza
The main pedestrian entrance to the park is Union Plaza, located off West Highland Boulevard. At approximately 11,000 square feet, the plaza leads to Main Street and the Hub and will be a destination in itself, with flexible space for temporary markets, food trucks, and events. Union Plaza will be made from concrete with varying textures. It is home to a 10-foot tall, weathered steel sculpture inspired by Harley Davidson’s iconic bar and shield.
North and South Lawn
Located off Main Street to the northeast is the community North Lawn. The Lawn is approximately 7,600 square feet in size and is surrounded by planting, which will provide shade and a beautiful setting for relaxation, play & community events.
The South Lawn picnic knoll is adjacent and east of Main Street and north of the Union Plaza. It is a place for people to gather on picnic benches, whether this be family lunch, dog walkers having a chat, or school children taking part in learning activities. The picnic knoll is approximately 5,750 square feet in size and is a wonderful place to be while surrounded by greenery.
Little Legends Playground
Located in the south portion of the park off Main Street, Legends Play Area was designed in collaboration with the NWS community to realize the vision of a nature play area. Elements include wooden log climbers, steppingstones, and hillside climbing. Little Legends Playground is 6,000 square feet of accessible elements for kids ages 1 to 12.
Viewing Hills
Three hillside Viewing Hills are adjacent to the southwest portion of the Hub. Each hill is approximately 2,300 square feet and provides views overlooking the Hub during special events such as movie nights, theatre events, or music performance events. The Hills also provide a place to relax surrounded by native plants, some of which are sacred to the Forest County Potawatomi., including one hundred species of perennials and twenty species of trees.
1903 Tavern
In partnership with Molson Coors, 1903 Tavern brings together two iconic Near West Side anchor institutions to offer Davidson Park visitors a relaxed open-air environment to socialize while enjoying a cold beverage. 1903 Tavern will serve an assortment of canned beverages including beer, malt, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages. A portion of the revenue from 1903 Tavern goes back into amplifying Davidson Park’s ambition.
Potawatomi Serenity Garden
The Serenity Garden is a result of a close collaboration between the Forest County Potawatomi leaders and the Harley-Davidson Foundation. The garden reflects the geometry of the medicine wheel, a symbol of significance for many Native American tribes including the Potawatomi. A grandfather stone is located at the center of four quadrants of medicine plants that mark the cardinal directions of the wheel. These plants include tobacco to the east, cedar to the south, sage to the west, and sweetgrass to the north. All are invited to use this garden as a place for contemplation, reflection, and meditation.
An accessible and inclusive space, Davidson Park will be open and welcoming for all (residents, community members, and visitors) to enjoy, gather, and connect. We will continue to seek ongoing stakeholder feedback – incorporating and encouraging community and visitor voices to inform future enhancements and changing interests.
Future Campus Development
Today’s opening marks the first phase of development at Juneau Avenue. The Company’s vision for the campus is to focus on multi-purpose development, ensuring that developments continue to celebrate Harley-Davidson and its history, while recognizing the need to evolve the space to be relevant not only for today, but for the future. And as the Company continues to explore opportunities for the wider campus, we remain committed to our mission and vision.
As part of the next phase of development, two exciting additions are coming to Juneau Ave – a STEAM Lab and the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Headquarters.
Harley-Davidson recognizes the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) in education and the importance of helping build the next generation of skilled workers. The STEAM lab will enable H-D to further partner with local organizations and schools to provide students direct access to resources, receive mentoring from our talented employees, experience hands-on learning, and encourage career exploration in STEAM fields.
Racing has been part of H-D history for over 100 years and is a compelling way to bring its brand narrative to life for customers and fans. The H-D Factory Racing Team will move back to where it all began, giving visitors to the historic H-D headquarters an exciting and engaging behind-the-scenes look and enhancing customer-facing experiences in alignment with the Company’s campus strategy.
To learn more about Davidson Park, including upcoming events, visit h-d.com/davidsonpark.
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Pride Month is here, and Milwaukee is showing up ready to slay with a packed calendar. Whether you’re looking to find love with The Butchelorette, cruise through the city in a Pride motorcycle ride, bring the whole family to the Pride Parade, or dance the night away at PrideFest, there’s something for everyone to uplift and celebrate Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community.
1. Milwaukee Film Pride Month Series
ALL MONTH | ORIENTAL THEATRE
Milwaukee Film curated a program of campy, fun, queer films to watch all month long. The “Queerious“ series comprises films that fit into the category of “Historians Would Say They Were Roommates or Good Friends,” including The Color Purple, Challengers, Rope, and Johnny Guitar. And the Summer Camp 2 series features campy classics like But I’m a Cheerleader, She’s the He, Victor/Victoria, and Burlesque. Plus, of course, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, featuring Milwaukee’s Sensual Daydreams cast performing live alongside the film, screening June 13.
2. Pop Pride: In Full Color
JUNE 1-7 | POP WALKER’S POINT
Pop in Walker’s Point has a full slate of events to kick off Pride Month, including bingo, a “Drag Race” watch party, plenty of DJs and a bunch of drag shows, including a day full of performances on June 7 alongside the Pride Parade. See the full lineup here.
RELATED READS: YOUR GUIDE TO THIS YEAR’S PRIDEFEST
3. Queer Oasis with Lou’s Moms
JUNE 4 FROM 4-7 P.M. | CACTUS CLUB
Local DJ duo Lou’s Moms — self-described as having “fantastically omnivorous musical taste” — are spinning tunes to “make your heart swoon” in a celebration of queer community at Cactus Club. This event is free to attend.
4. PrideFest
JUNE 4-6 | HENRY MAIER FESTIVAL PARK
There’s something for everyone at Milwaukee’s annual PrideFest. Whether you want to kick back and relax by the lakefront, shop around local LGBTQ+ vendors, or dance the night away with DJs and drag performances, there’s much packed into the lineup this year.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
5. Ride With Pride
JUNE 6 AT 10 A.M. | DAVIDSON PARK
The world’s largest Pride motorcycle ride is back! It’ll begin at Davidson Park, and the police-escorted ride will go throughout Milwaukee and end at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Everyone who registers will receive a commemorative poker chip, and patches will be available for purchase. Register in person or online here.
6. Drag Queen Story Hour
JUNE 6 FROM 10:30-11:30 A.M. | COLECTIVO PROSPECT CAFE
Stop by Colectivo’s Prospect Cafe for a drag queen story hour to celebrate Pride with the little ones! And while you’re there, you can grab one of their Pride watercolor cookies, too.
7. Milwaukee Pride Parade
JUNE 7 AT 2 P.M. | SECOND STREET IN WALKER’S POINT
With the theme “Together We Are Pride,” the Milwaukee Pride Parade is back for its 22nd year. The first Pride parade in Milwaukee was a political protest. Today, thousands of folks come together for the parade to celebrate the city’s LGBTQ+ community.
8. Pride Parade Watch Party & Flea Market
JUNE 7 FROM NOON-5 P.M. | POMEROY
Get a prime seat for watching the Pride Parade and shop vintage clothing, get a flash tattoo, and sip a cold drink at Pomeroy’s watch party, located right along the parade route.
9. Flour Girl and Flame Pop-Up
JUNE 7 AT 6 P.M. | ESTEREV
Raising money for the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, LGBTQ+-owned Flour Girl and Flame will be whipping up pizzas at EsterEv in Bay View after the Pride Parade until they sell out.
10. Pride Parade Queer Afterparty
JUNE 7 AT 7 P.M. | THE COOPERAGE
Venus Social Club and Pole Factory are teaming up to keep the party going after the Pride Parade. Inside, dance the night away to a lineup of DJs. Outside, watch a show from Pole Factory’s Sapphic Sirens, shop LGBTQ+ vendors, get a tattoo, enjoy a featured drink, or participate in the arm wrestling competitions. The event is for ages 21+, and tickets are available online here.
11. The Sapphic Butchlorette
JUNE 12 AT 10:30 P.M. | CACTUS CLUB
Ever wondered what it’d be like to see a sapphic version of “The Bachelorette”? Well, this is exactly that. Live at Cactus Club, eight contestants will compete for local tattoo artist Syd Lange’s love. Dress formal/semi-formal and be ready to dance the night away at the afterparty with DJ Mya Goetsch and DJ Femme Noir on the music. Get tickets here.
12. Brewers Pride Night
JUNE 12 AT 6:40 P.M. | AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD
From an LGBTQ+ makers market to the national anthem sung by singer/songwriter and sister duo REYNA, the Brewers are hosting a night of celebration for Pride. They’re playing the Philadelphia Phillies. Get tickets here.
13. Read With Pride Romance Book Fair
JUNE 13 FROM 10 A.M.-3 P.M. | BAIRD CENTER
If you grew up on the Scholastic Book Fair, this event is for you. The Well Red Damsel is bringing over 25 romance authors together – along with vendors including The Fruity Studio, Geeky Elves, and Good Stick Co. – for a day celebrating LGBTQ+ love stories. Admission is free, but the event is taking donations on-site for Courage+.
14. Sapphics in the Sun: Picnic
JUNE 13 FROM 1-4 P.M. | LAKE PARK
Milwaukee’s lesbian and sapphic events group CHOSEN is hosting a picnic at Lake Park. It’ll have yard games and music, and it’s bring-your-own snacks, chairs and blankets. RSVP here.
15. Midtown Pride
JUNE 13 FROM 3-7 P.M. | JOY ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Celebrate Pride in Tosa at Joy Ice Cream Social, with family and dance yoga, face painting, DIY tie-dye bandanas, a dunk tank, live music from Billy Goat Rodeo, and food trucks Heirloom and Tots on the Street.
16. Queer Karaoke
JUNE 17 AT 7 P.M. | CACTUS CLUB
The third Wednesday of every month, Cactus Club hosts Queer Karaoke – and, of course, Pride Month is no exception. Sing your heart out and hang out – if you liked it, you can go back the next month.
17. Born This Slay Drag Show
JUNE 17 AT 6:30 P.M. | CAFE CENTRAAL
“Don’t be a drag, just be a queen” at Cafe Centraal at this drag show featuring queens Roxy Toxin, Aubrey del Mar, Blythe, Ayesha Voodoo, and Jezebel Diamond St. Klare. Tickets are available here.
18. Pride Party
JUNE 18 FROM 4-7 P.M. | PRITZLAFF BUILDING COURTYARD
Milwaukee Airwaves and LGBTQ+- and woman-owned Miss Ruby Bridal Boutique are teaming up to bring a Pride party to the Pritzlaff Building. Expect a photo booth, Chase My Creations clothing, and food trucks, including Tots on the Street, Cocina Filipina, Paleteria Yayo and more.
19. Queer Book Club
JUNE 24 AT 6 P.M. | THIRST BOOKS
Thirst Books’ Queer Book Club is aptly having its first meeting during Pride Month. They’ll be reading a spicy sapphic alien romance by Emma Elizabeth. RSVP for free here.
20. Thrift & Sips: Pride Owned Edition
JUNE 27 FROM 11 A.M.-4 P.M. | STYLE POP CAFE
Shop local LGBTQ+-owned thrift and vintage shops and sip a bit of coffee at Style Pop Cafe’s Pride event. There will be lots of clothes, accessories and home decor to browse.
21. Sapphic Paint & Sip
JUNE 27 AT 6:30 P.M. | VIBEZ CREATIVE ART SPACE
CHOSEN is partnering with Vibez Creative Art Space for an evening of sapphic community and art. Tickets include a drink and painting supplies – and plenty of fun to be had. Get tickets here.
See surveillance footage of slapping incident at Riverside High School
Demitrios Visvardis, a former paraprofessional, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery for slapping Shrone Dunn, an 18-year-old with cerebal palsy.
Courtesy of Milwaukee Police Department
When family members of a special education student voiced displeasure with a deferred plea agreement for former MPS paraprofessional Demitrios Visvardis in February, they were told it was fair given his lack of prior offenses.
Visvardis was charged with battery four months earlier in connection with an incident involving Shrone Dunn, 18, of Riverside High School.
“This ain’t nothing but a slap on the wrist,” Tyrone Dunn, Shrone’s father, said during the plea hearing. “We’re looking for justice.”
Milwaukee County Judge David Borowski assured Dunn of District Attorney Erin Karshen’s ability to fully prosecute based on what was known.
But records obtained by the Journal Sentinel through an open records request raise questions about Visvardis’s history, and how much was known before the plea deal was reached.
Visvardis has no prior criminal record, but documents in his personnel file at Milwaukee Public Schools reference a 2024 accusation that he struck a special education student.
In a December 2025 letter filed after a disciplinary hearing, MPS hearing officer Natalie Fluker said the November 2025 incident involving Shrone Dunn was “the second time in a year that [Visvardis has] been accused of slapping a vulnerable student.”
The letter references findings made by hearing officer Gary Johnson during disciplinary proceedings related to the 2024 incident.
Earlier incident also involved slapping
According to the December letter, another Riverside High School staff member expressed concern to Principal Jeff Lasky after witnessing Visvardis slap an intellectually disabled student on October 10, 2024. As with the incident involving Dunn, review of security footage confirmed the allegations.
Visvardis physically kept the student on a vent near an exit on the first floor of the school building despite the student’s multiple attempts to get up, according to the letter. Describing the footage, Johnson wrote, “The student appears to scream and you turn and slap him on the face. You then exit the hallway.”
Visvardis apologized for the incident, stating it was the worst thing he’d ever done.
Milwaukee Public Schools failed to report prior incident
According to the MPS employee handbook, the district generally follows a progressive discipline model that depends on the behavior and frequency of occurrences.
Johnson found the first incident to be “especially egregious, considering the unnecessary and excessive force” used on Student A and recommended a departure from the progressive discipline model. The departure meant Visvardis would be issued a three-day unpaid suspension and required enrollment in a course in nonviolent crisis intervention.
The school district did not directly respond to questions from the Journal Sentinel about whether the police were notified of the incident in 2024. It also declined to say whether Student A’s parents were informed or what steps were taken to protect the student following the incident.
“The safety of our students is our highest priority,” Stephen Davis, a media relations manager at Milwaukee Public Schools, told the Journal Sentinel in an emailed statement. “We cannot discuss the details of any personnel matter, and the current administration would not be able to speak about how a prior case was addressed in 2024.”
But according to Milwaukee Police Department records, no report associated with Visvardis exists since January 2021 beyond the report on his arrest on November 13, 2025. That’s the day after Riverside cameras captured footage of Visvardis slapping Dunn “with an open hand to the left side of face,” according to police records.
Review hearing scheduled for this week
Visvardis is due back in court on Thursday, June 4.
According to the deferred prosecution agreement obtained by the Journal Sentinel, he will be eligible to seek employment in a “school, group home or any other place of employment where he would interact with other vulnerable people” this month, given successful completion of an anger management treatment program.
Meanwhile, the Dunn Family has filed a lawsuit against the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Board of School Directors, and Visvardis.
April Quevedo covers Metcalfe Park for the Journal Sentinel’s Neighborhood Dispatch. Contact: aquevedo@usatodayco.com.
Neighborhood Dispatch reporting is supported by Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Journal Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and reader contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project. Journal Sentinel editors maintain full editorial control over all content. To support this work, visit jsonline.com/support. Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation (memo: “JS Community Journalism”) and mailed to P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.
The JS Community-Funded Journalism Project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36-4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association, and EnMotive, a subsidiary of USA TODAY Co.
MILWAUKEE — This Fourth of July marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which created the United States of America.
In honor of that milestone, the Milwaukee County Historical Society is launching a new exhibit, “We the People: Milwaukee Stories of Immigration, Citizenship, and Community,” on June 12.
“This is the perfect opportunity to maybe tell a story that isn’t always told,” said Ben Barbera, executive director and president of the Milwaukee County Historical Society. “We can’t necessarily talk about the founding fathers. There weren’t many Revolutionary War battles here. But we can tell a story that is essential to the country.”
That story showcases the real people who came from all over the world for a better life — people who, over time, helped shape the country into what it is today.
The story starts with those who were here first.
“The Indigenous populations of Wisconsin, because without them being pushed out and forced out, we wouldn’t have immigration come to this space,” said Olivia Hoff, community programs manager for the Milwaukee County Historical Society.
The exhibit features photos and artifacts dating back centuries.
“This is a sewing kit that was made from clothing that was worn by people who came here from England,” said Janean VanBeckum, curator of the exhibit. “They were Puritans being persecuted. They came in, settled on the East Coast, and then their family moved here.”
Families from Germany, Poland, Italy and Ireland followed. Decades later, there was a surge of immigrants from Latin America, Asia and parts of Africa.
“When you start the exhibit, you get an identification card of an immigrant,” said VanBeckum. “It’s based on real immigrants, but not any particular person, and you can go around and choose your own adventure to kind of see what happens to your immigrant’s life as they move through the process of coming here and either becoming a citizen or not becoming a citizen.”
The experience includes audio recordings from people who immigrated to Milwaukee and their children.
“This is the humanistic story,” said Hoff. “It really generates empathy too because you are hearing it from the people themselves.”
The exhibit also highlights people who came to the Milwaukee area from within the United States. A major part of Milwaukee’s history is the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the Midwest in the mid-20th century. That history is documented in “We the People.”
Overall, the team at the Milwaukee County Historical Society hopes the new exhibit reminds people of their similarities and shared home as the nation turns 250.
“People can realize that everyone has a similar scope of their life and that we all may be struggling to fight some of the same battles, and that by working together, creating a civic discourse, we can be less divided.”
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