By Mayor Kathy Ehley
Wauwatosa is a special place like no other. I’m hearing it from residents, seeing it in the intense demand for housing and people who want to live in our desirable community.
I can think of no better experts or spokespeople for Tosa than our residents, families, seniors, youth, and business owners. So we asked you. Last fall, the City conducted our second annual citizen survey and found that residents have a very positive perception of the City.
Most residents (88%) rated Wauwatosa’s quality of services as excellent or good. And 92% would be likely to recommend Wauwatosa as a place to live. Who wouldn’t want to live in a city with high-quality municipal services, parks, a pool and green spaces, strong neighborhoods and vibrant commercial districts?
Finding a home in Tosa for your friend or family can be quite challenging right now. Several real estate professionals specializing in the Tosa market have remarked that they have not seen anything like this in the past 20-25 years. The home market is hot and moving incredibly fast. Factors contributing to this phenomena are low home inventory (which shows how much people love living here), historically-low interest rates and a very aggressive buyer pool who want to live in Tosa.
People moving into this community want to stay. Strategically located, Tosa offers excellent schools, a variety of housing options (individual homes, duplexes, 4-8 family and larger apartment complexes), County and City parks, and an engaging sense of community.
As summer arrives, now is the time to get out and experience all Tosa has to offer. Plus, there are new businesses opening across the city in The Village, East Town Tosa, Midtown Tosa, Mayfair and Mayfair Collection for us to check out.
Outdoor Tosa explodes with things to do from simple pleasures like dining outside, biking the Oak Leaf Trail, listening to a summer concert, the multitude of special events, or simply catching fireflies. Did you know that Wauwatosa means firefly? (Upcoming community events are in the community calendar in the sidebar.)
Enjoy fresh foods at the Farmer’s Market, a Tosa Tonight concert under the stars, the East Tosa Grand Prix Bike race on North Ave, one the state’s largest July 4th parades, the Firefly Art Fair, Hartfest, Chilin’ on the Avenue and Tosafest to name just a few. For the first time this year, enjoy outdoor events in the new Central Plaza at Mayfair Collection, including outdoor movie nights.
Explore the parks and paths for biking and hiking throughout Tosa with a stop for ice cream or the beer garden at Tosa Pool at Hoyt Park.
While summer is playtime, it’s also construction season – so please be careful walking, biking and driving. Phase I and II in the heart of The Village are over. Come check out the pedestrian plaza, fountain and wider sidewalks. Phase III of The Village reconstruction project begins on May 1 which includes utility work, some closures on Harmonee Avenue and the redesign of Root Commons Park and the pocket park. Please check the City website, www.wauwatosa.net for the latest road closures and construction updates around the City. Construction is hard on all of us and can be challenging for our business community. Please join me in continuing to support our businesses in The Village while we work to beautify this fantastic gathering space.
Aren’t we lucky to call this great city home! Enjoy Tosa this summer.
