Saturday, October 31, 2020
Milwaukee Recreation celebrated the grand reopening of Clovernook Playfield (6594 N. Landers St.) by unveiling its virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 31, 2020. The department officially reopened the site to the public on Aug. 31.
Clovernook marks Milwaukee Recreation's fourth renovated playfield in the past year, following Columbia Playfield (reopened Aug. 2019), Custer Playfield (Sept. 2019), and Southgate Playfield (Aug. 2020).
The full playfield renovation included upgraded, age-appropriate playground equipment, a splash pad, basketball courts, shade structures, and a multi-purpose field. New and upgraded site amenities were added, including lighting, benches and trash receptacles. Fieldhouse renovations, including bathroom upgrades, refreshed lighting, and new windows, will be completed next spring.
“A virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony is the perfect way to showcase this new play space,” Greb said. “Clovernook now features sparkling amenities, courts, and equipment alongside the playfield’s expansive green space. We are so proud of how this playfield came together and are looking forward to the community coming out to safely
enjoy this new space.”
Due to restrictions brought on by COVID-19, Milwaukee Recreation announced the Clovernook reopening with a virtual ribbon-cutting video. The video features appearances by Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Dr. Keith Posley; MPS School Board President Larry Miller; MPS School Board Director Marva Herndon; Milwaukee Recreation Senior Director Lynn Greb; Alderwoman Chantia Lewis; and Direct Supply Community Relations Director Sharon Jordan.
Many of Milwaukee Recreation’s playfields were built in the 1920s and 1930s. The existing outdoor recreation system is comprised of 52 active use playfields encompassing more than 300 acres of programmed space. The majority of these sites serve as neighborhood scale parks with traditional recreational facilities such as ballfields, tot lots, tennis courts, fieldhouses, and general open space.
In 2014, the department retained a consultant to conduct a review of its existing facilities and provide a roadmap for improvements to the playfields. The result was the Milwaukee Outdoor Recreation Facilities Master Plan. The plan rated 65 percent of the facilities as fair to poor, and identified more than $25 million in needed improvements over a 10-year span. The department then analyzed the neighborhood and population characteristics surrounding each playfield to create a priority list of projects that emphasized racial and economic equity.
To learn more about Milwaukee Recreation’s efforts to transform its playfields, visit mkerec.net/PlayfieldRenovation.