Waukesha parades, events: Enhanced safety measures will be in place
WAUKESHA, Wis. - In Waukesha, new safety measures will be in place in Waukesha for upcoming parades and large events, a news release announced Friday, April 22.
Perhaps the biggest change, there will be only one parade route – starting and ending on Wisconsin Avenue. The route will go through Main Street and turn on Barstow Street before ending.
The idea behind the new measures to keep large events to more closed perimeters after the 2021 Christmas parade attack. Darrell Brooks of Milwaukee is accused of driving through the parade route, hitting dozens of people – six of whom died.
New Waukesha parade route
According to the new release, one piece of the enhanced safety measures will be mobile vehicle barriers (MVBs), which prevent vehicle passage. New MVBs have been purchased by the city and will be used for parades and events such as Friday Night Live.
Performers from Milwaukee's beloved Dancing Grannies were among those killed. The group's co-leader told FOX6 News that the investment means a lot.
Mobile vehicle barriers (MVB) demonstration
"It’s an expense for a city to invest in something like this," said Jan Kwiatkowski. "Just knowing people care enough to do that makes a huge difference."
For people like Kwiatkowski, it is an investment that gives peace of mind.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
"I know for the Grannies who were there that day, anything like that is going to help," she said.
The changes start with the upcoming Memorial Day parade.
Statement from Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly:
"I look forward to continuing our great tradition of community events and parades here in the city of Waukesha. I appreciate the efforts of our entire Waukesha team as we review our safety measures and make improvements."
Statement from Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson:
"We want the public to feel safe coming to city of Waukesha events. While we can never prevent every type of criminal activity, we are doing our best to make sure the events are as safe as possible."
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.