Thursday, May 8, 2025
On Tuesday, May 6, Milwaukee Recreation celebrated the grand reopening of Wick Playfield alongside community members and local leaders!
The completion of Wick Playfield (4929 W. Vliet St.) marks Milwaukee Recreation’s 10th full-site renovation throughout the city, in addition to a 2020 tot lot renovation at Ohio Playfield. With each renovation, Milwaukee Recreation works to prioritize the needs of the surrounding community first, ensuring that each playfield leaves a lasting impact on community members for years to come.
“This project reflects a significant investment in the neighborhood and in the city’s recreation and green space infrastructure,” Milwaukee Recreation director Brian Litzsey said. “It’s a powerful example of Milwaukee Recreation’s commitment to providing all members of our community with access to quality green spaces and recreational facilities.”
As with previous playfield renovations, Milwaukee Recreation relied heavily on community feedback. Thanks to the input of surrounding community members, Wick Playfield now features a variety of essential upgrades, including a modern playground design, a splash pad, new basketball courts, comfortable plaza seating, synthetic turf baseball and softball diamonds, and refreshed dirt diamonds. Community members can also enjoy the new walking paths that curl throughout the park, as well as renovated restrooms, improved lighting, and solar shade structures.
Watch the highlights from the Wick Playfield celebration.
Community leaders and key project contributors were in attendance for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with many noting the powerful implications of providing Milwaukee neighborhoods with safe, accessible, and inclusive recreational spaces.
“Our community deserves the very best, and I have to give it up to [Milwaukee Recreation] for knowing that when we invest back into the community, we invest back into our children,” Alderwoman Sharlene Moore said.
The rich history at Wick Playfield was also considered during the space’s redesign. In a space that originated as a dump site, Wick Playfield has experienced many changes throughout its history. From its early transformation into a recreation space to serving as an area of temporary housing for returning veterans after World War II, Wick Playfield has remained an essential pillar of the Milwaukee community for decades (learn more about the history at Wick Playfield from OnMilwaukee).
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brenda Cassellius was also in attendance on Tuesday, which marked her first playfield unveiling with Milwaukee Recreation and the Milwaukee Public Schools community.
“Seeing the community already enjoying the revitalized spaces underscores the immediate and positive impact these investments are making. Our playfields add to the overall pride, vitality, and quality of our neighborhoods,” Cassellius said.
In addition to the work at Wick Playfield, Milwaukee Recreation has transformed Columbia Playfield (2019); Custer Playfield (2019); Ohio Playfield (2020); Southgate Playfield (2020); Franklin Square Playfield (2021); Burnham Playfield (2022); Green Bay Playfield (2022); Stark Playfield (2023); and Carmen Playfield (2023).Construction is currently underway at Modrzejewski Playfield, and the work at Lincoln Playfield, Emigh Playfield, Metcalfe Playfield, Cass Street Playfield, and Browning Playfield is in various stages of the design process.
Discover more information about Milwaukee Recreation’s mission to dream, build, and play across our network of 52 play spaces in Milwaukee!