Thursday, August 11, 2022
This summer, Milwaukee Recreation continued its mission to enrich and strengthen the community by promoting healthy lifestyles, personal development, and fun through memorable recreational and educational experiences for people of all ages and abilities.
Read below for more of Milwaukee Recreation's summer successes, or view the full document here.
Partnerships
Opened 28 Community Learning Centers (CLCs) and 10 Safe Places in partnership with 7 Community-Based Organizations to provide in-person programming for youth. Programs served 2,533 youth during June through August. Many sites were open from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Awarded the John Zussman Knothole Softball Scholarship to Reagan HS softball player Brooke Smith. The $1,000 scholarship is funded by the Zussman family in memory of former Milwaukee Recreation employee and long-time supporter of MPS Interscholastic Athletics, namely softball and baseball, John Zussman.
Provided funding to 15 local arts organizations to employ 50 high school students in art-related internships. Youth represented 22 Milwaukee-area high schools and 21 zip codes.
Provided Partnership for the Arts & Humanities funding to Milwaukee Christian Center to engage high school students with an opportunity to work with local artist, Tia Richardson, to install a large-scale public mural on Milwaukee’s south side. Additional partners included Muskego Way Forward and Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative.
Partnered with Columbia St. Mary’s Family Health Center to provide free physicals to more than 70 MPS high school student-athletes.
Received $25,000 grant from the Auto Club Group (AAA) for MPS Drive.
Operations
Hosted ribbon-cutting ceremony for the reopening of Burnham Playfield on June 29. The renovated space includes new basketball courts, playground equipment, a splash pad, shade structures, and the first turf soccer field within the playfield system.
Awarded $1,194,250 from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grant for Lincoln Playfield. The project, scheduled to commence in 2023, will include a renovated soccer field, walking loop, river trail, updated tennis courts, updated basketball court, fieldhouse renovation, lighting, landscaping, picnic area, and overlook area.
Received $750,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (administered by the Wisconsin DNR) for improvements to Modrejewski Playfield. The project, scheduled to commence in 2023, will include new playground equipment, splash pad, fieldhouse renovation, new basketball courts, new soccer/ multi-purpose field, walking loop, picnic areas, lighting, landscaping, and painted play area.
Partnered with Reflo, a local environmental nonprofit, to engage 5 high school aged interns, one day a week, as part of the update to the Playfield Equity Prioritization Process. Interns reviewed the condition of existing playfields to better understand how likely individuals are to use a park in their neighborhood. Interns also worked on a hypothetical park design, heard about possible design careers from professionals across the country, and shared their perspectives about what would make a playfield fun for people their age.
Participated in 2 community engagement sessions hosted by Metcalfe Community Bridges for Metcalfe Playfield. Renovation of the site is expected to begin in 2024. Over 100 local residents provided feedback including a desire for water features, art, basketball courts, safer streets, and places to climb and play to be added to the site.
Began construction on the renovation of Stark and Carmen Playfields. The renovated playfields include new playground equipment, splash pad, fieldhouse renovation, new basketball courts, walking loop, picnic areas, lighting, landscaping, and painted play area and will reopen for use in 2023. Carmen’s renovation includes Milwaukee’s first tuj lub courts, and Stark’s renovation includes a new soccer field and updated tennis courts.
Outreach
Staffed 19 playground sites to provide free meals to Milwaukee youth in partnership with the Milwaukee Center for Independence. Over 20,000 meals were served from June 21 - Aug. 27 across all playground locations.
Received a Bader Philanthropies $12,000 grant for the Traveling Adventures program to provide 5 free summer field trips for 682 youth from the summer playgrounds program.
Developed a STEAM Challenge activity for participating after-school programs. Sites that conducted recommended STEAM activities were entered into a raffle to win STEAM supplies and equipment, as well as an Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, pizza parties, and ice cream socials. A culminating showcase on July 13, 2022 brought more than 200 youth to Wick Playfield.
Offered Midnight Soccer and Basketball leagues to provide young adults with safe places to participate in sports leagues while connecting them to appropriate health care, work force, and educational services. A total of 178 young adults participated in basketball and 240 were involved with soccer. Numerous spectators were on hand to offer support and to cheer on the players.
Provided a safe space for teens in the evenings at 7 Twilight Centers. A total of 3,515 youth visited visited the locations and participated in sports, video games and art. On-site enrichment activities including ping pong, career development and Mad Science also served 267 youth.
Established a programming partnership with MKE Urban stables to begin a therapeutic recreation programming partnership in the fall of 2022.
Lifetime Recreation
Provided driving instruction to 847 students in partnership with Drive USA during the sixth summer of MPS Drive.
Set an all-time registration record of 202 participants in summer music lessons in partnership with the MPS Music Department.
Sent 12 students from Washington HS (a SOWI Unified Champion City School) to Lambeau Field on Aug. 19 to parrticipate in a 5v5 flag football game during halftime of the Green Bay Packers preseason game. More than 75,000 Packers fans cheered on the athletes in this experience of a lifetime.
Celebrated 15 years of the MPS Run Back to School on Aug. 27. A total of 890 individuals registered for the event and 7 schools qualified for a mini grant to support their health and wellness needs.
Launched a Community Bike Club offering 15 free, guided bike rides serving 213 adults and families. Programming included bike safety lessons and 10-15 mile bike rides on some of MIlwaukee’s best bike trails.
Partnered with Riverside University HS Head Football Coach, Patrick Wagner, to offer weekly football camps for 53 participants at Custer Stadium, Pulaski Stadium, and Wick Playfield.
Hosted the inaugural MPS Ultimate Sports Day at Wick Playfield on Saturday, August 6th. A total of 240 1st-12th graders registered to experience new sports and learn sports fundamentals. Participants moved through multiple sports stations including baseball/ softball, cheer, basketball, football, cross country, ultimate frisbee, golf, soccer, tennis, and track & field. This free event included sports instruction, lunch, a tshirt, and a pair of athletic shoes donated by Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Added Active Older Adults program locations to the fast growing sport of pickleball serving over 140 active older adults in the summer session.
Partnered with Call Something Ref to host a Football Officials Clinic to train 12 individuals in the mechanics of football officiating at Vincent Stadium on Saturday, July 30.
Offered volleyball skills clinics for 31 youth led by Rick Knack at WCLL.
Hosted the inaugural Volleyball Officials Clinic at Beulah Brinton Community Center on July 23 in partnership with the Midwest Minority Officials Association. Clinic officials guided 44 participants through classroom and on-court training sessions, including areas of coverage, mechanics, communication, and more.