Dineen Park (Photo by Sue Vliet)

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele today announced a series of nine County-wide public workshops to take place between Sept. 13 and Oct. 5 as part of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture’s “Parks with Purpose” planning campaign.

Information gathered will support the two major park planning efforts underway simultaneously: the 10-Year Parks System Master Plan and the 2050 Park & Open Space Plan. The 10-Year Parks Master Plan will provide recommendations for facilities, programs and services, maintenance and operation, and administration and management of the County park system. The 2050 Park & Open Space Plan will address long-range considerations including the preservation of environmental corridors, conservation lands, the recreational use of water bodies, and make recommendations on the distribution of parks and recreational facilities throughout the County.

“I believe in the value of parks to promote a strong sense of community and encourage learning and stewardship about our natural spaces, which is why we’ve worked hard over the past five years to invest in things like capital improvements, technology, and accreditation,” County Executive Chris Abele said.  “Our parks are successful because our neighbors and community stakeholders participate in these planning processes. When the County renovated Moody Park we didn’t come in with a preconceived idea of what was needed – we asked the community what they wanted to see, and the end result is something even better than anyone could have originally hoped for.”

At the foundation of the “Parks with Purpose” campaign, which will inform the County’s efforts to ensure that that our world-class Parks system remains a vital and vibrant public asset for future generations, is a robust and inclusive input process that engages our community.

Residents are encouraged to attend any of these upcoming public workshops. All forums will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a brief general presentation followed by a facilitated workshop.

Public workshops are scheduled as follows: Sept. 13, Kosciuszko Park Community Center, 2201 S. 7th St.; Sept. Sept. 14, Lake Park Marcia Coles Community Room, 3133 E. Newberry Blvd. (lower level); Sept. 15, Wilson Park Pavilion, 1601 W. Howard Ave.; Sept. 20, Brown Deer Park Golf Clubhouse, 7625 N. Range Line Road; Sept. 21, Gordon Park Pavilion, 2828 N. Humboldt Blvd.; Sept. 22, Dineen Park Pavilion, 6601 W. Vienna St.; Sept. 27, Sheridan Park Pavilion, 4800 S. Lake Drive; Oct. 4, McCarty Park Pavilion,2567 S. 79 St.; and Oct. 5, Center Street Park Community Room, 6420 W. Clarke St.

“This is the community’s opportunity to have a direct impact in prioritizing future park land use, facility development, and the long-term sustainability of Milwaukee County Parks,” Parks Director John Dargle, Jr. said.

Earlier this month, a statistically valid survey was sent to a representative sampling of 4,000 households.  National recreation survey expert ETC Institute developed the survey, distributed it throughout the county based on population and density, and is administering the process. The household survey closes in mid-September.

After the close of the statistically valid survey, a second, online iteration of the survey will be available.

ADA accommodation requests for the meeting should be filed with the Milwaukee County Office for Persons with Disabilities, at (414) 278-3932 (voice) or (414) 278-3937 (TTY). 

For more information, visit countyparks.com and select “Parks with Purpose.”