Wednesday, September 17, 2025
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 everyone!
Milwaukee Recreation offers a variety of free and low-cost programs throughout the year, particularly in the summer, when the warm weather generates opportunities for increased outdoor activities and the out-of-school time creates a significant need for young people and families. Summer programs and activities included youth & adult enrichment classes; sports leagues, camps, and clinics for all ages; indoor and outdoor fitness and wellness opportunities; safe spaces for young people throughout the day; opportunities to learn essential life skills, whether it is in a classroom, a pool, or behind the wheel; partnerships with local organizations to provide superior services; and further investment in our community with renovation work at our playfields and new Milwaukee Recreation Community Center.
Athletic Opportunities
Celebrated 3 recipients of the 2025 Trek Pathfinders scholarship (Emmitt Houston, James Northway, and Noah Martinez). Each recipient was awarded a Trek mountain bike and a stipend to cover their National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) membership and race fees. They also received a full set of gear, including a helmet, gloves, shoes, and accessories.
Hosted 25 boys and girls 18U basketball teams (263 participants) in Summer Stars leagues at North Division HS and South Division HS.
Partnered with current and former NFL players (Eric Murray, Dare Ogunbowale, and Gilbert Brown) to run free youth football clinics. Served 599 total participants throughout the summer.
Partnered with the Milwaukee Bucks to lead a five-day clinic for 46 participants between the ages of 7-14 at North Division HS.
Offered free evening sports programs for young people and young adults, including 2 men's basketball Late Night Leagues and 1 men's soccer Late Night Leagues for ages 17-29 (290 total participants) and 2 Twilight soccer boys and girls leagues for ages 12-17 (42 total participants).
Hosted the 10th annual Iron Tiger Triathlon at Riverside Univ. HS for 50 community members.
Partnered with the Green Bay Packers to send 40 Special Olympics athletes to compete in the Exceptional Abilities Flag Football Tournament at the Titletown District in Ashwaubenon.
Piloted a Boundless Baseball program that mimics the format of The Miracle League, offering baseball experiences to youth facing serious physical and cognitive disabilities.
Provided strong foundation for youth sports via t-ball, welcoming over 400 young athletes to the diamond at five different locations.
Hosted 40 teams and over 1,200 youth track and field athletes at Vincent HS during May and June.
Partnered with Good Karma Brands Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin women’s volleyball team to host a free volleyball clinic at Vincent HS for 60 MPS middle school and high school student-athletes.
Hosted 24 boys and girls high school basketball teams in the inaugural Milwaukee City Conference summer basketball league.
Enrichment
Collaborated with MATC to provide twice-a-week introductory welding workshops for 12 participants at North Division HS.
Provided hygiene instruction and kits to 293 students at Twilight Centers.
Offered 30 free, guided walks through the MilWALKee Walking Club and over 50 free Community Bike Rides. More than 300 individuals stepped & biked into a healthy lifestyle while enjoying the sights of Milwaukee this summer.
Partnered with the Medical College of Wisconsin to continue Total Wellness classes at Hamilton and Marshall Community Centers and Men Moving Forward classes at Marshall Community Center. 45 participants enjoyed fitness classes, education sessions focused on healthy eating and cancer prevention, and healthy cooking demos.
Offered a variety of new wellness offerings, including Breastfeeding Preparedness, Infant Bonding and Massage, and Women's Wellness Warriors, all of which focused on women's health and wellness.
Planned 6 Traveling Adventures field trips for more than 400 summer playground participants. Destinations included the Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee Public Museum, Slick City Action Park, the Brown Deer Pond, Busy Barns Farm Adventures, and Action Territory.
Started a new partnership with STEAM Milwaukee to visit 4 summer playgrounds as part of the roving activities program.
Provided a fun, safe summer experience at 15 playgrounds. Partnered with the Hunger Task Force and the Milwaukee Center for Independence to serve over 24,000 meals to youth over the course of the 8-week program.
Programmed over 250 summer aquatics classes with approximately 2,700 participants.
Enrolled over 600 students in a sold-out summer of the MPS Drive driver education program.
Partnered with the Ice Age Trail Alliance to provide a weeklong, hiking-focused camp for our Earth Discovery Rangers. 25 campers hiked 2-4 miles each day, visiting 3 Ice Age Trail sites: Lapham Peak, Stoney Ridge, and Pike Lake.
Partnered with 38 groups within MPS and the Milwaukee community to provide swim and water safety lessons to over 900 participants.
Partnered with MKE Urban Stables to provide over 90 Club Rec campers with equine-assisted therapeutic activities.
Served 30 active older adults in longevity-focused programs such as Fall Resiliency and Restorative Yoga.
Provided 51 Milwaukee-area high school students with paid arts internships across 14 different local arts organizations. Interns represented 26 different high schools and 19 zip codes.
Provided over 1,300 youth with full-day recreational, enrichment, and cultural support through Milwaukee Recreation's 25 camp program locations.
Operated 40 CLC and Safe Place summer programs in partnership with 8 community-based organizations, serving 2,805 youth. Summer CLCs and Safe Places provided a wide range of engaging academic and recreation programming, field trips, and more, with most locations operating on weekdays from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. from June 23 - Aug. 1.
Coordinated 6 ExCEL Summer Camps, including Camping Essentials with the Urban Ecology Center; Graphic Design; 3D Printing; Dance, Digital Music Production; and Swimming Lessons/Water Safety. 317 youth from 23 CLC/Safe Place sites participated throughout the summer.
Led more than 400 different field trips for participants from summer Camps, CLCs, and Safe Places.
Hired 5 part-time summer academic enrichment specialists (MPS certified teachers) to provide more than 450 combined hours of on-site academic coaching and instructional support to frontline staff at 40 CLC and Safe Place summer program locations.
Operations
Hosted 108 golfers for the annual MPS employee golf outing.
Partnered with Employ Milwaukee to provide staffing services for 42 individuals to serve as Camp Counselors for its Youth Early Intervention Summer Concept Program (Camp RISE) at North Division HS.
Improved the garden space outside Beulah Brinton Community Center with assistance from community volunteers.
Sent 5 Milwaukee Recreation lifeguards to compete in the Region IV Team Lifeguard Competition at the Wiberg Aquatic Center in Brookfield.
Welcomed the CAPRA review panel for 2 days of site visits to evaluate Milwaukee Recreation for the final stages of CAPRA reaccreditation.
Launched the department data dashboard, bringing relevant data and summaries to the forefront for easier analysis and more data-driven decision-making.
Celebrated the grand reopenings of Wick Playfield and Modrzejewski Playfield.
Successfully bid and started construction for the new Milwaukee Recreation Community Center and adjacent Browning Playfield in northwest Milwaukee, with an anticipated construction completion in early 2027.
Completed the 2025 update of the Milwaukee Recreation Playfield Prioritization Plan.
Continued construction on Lincoln Playfield, with an anticipated construction completion by the end of the 2025.
Partnered with MPS Facilities & Maintenance Services to begin the design process for the Cass Street Playfield renovation project, with an anticipated construction start of summer 2026 (in concert with Cass Street School's green schoolyard project).
Continued renovations at Emigh Playfield, with an anticipated construction completion of fall 2025. The site will include Milwaukee Recreation's first dedicated pickleball court and wheel elements.
Continued construction at Metcalfe Playfield, with an anticipated construction completion of late summer 2026.
Awarded grants to 49 organizations through the Partnership for the Arts & Humanities to increase access to out-of-school programming in theater, music, dance, poetry, visual and manual arts, environmental stewardship, and more.
Special Events
Hosted foam frenzy parties for over 200 youth at 5 summer playgrounds. Each visit featured an hour of continuous foam fun, music, and endless smiles and laughter.
Led 45 young people through cycling workshops at the third annual Cycling Celebration, which was capped off by a trip through the Tour of America's Dairyland course in Bay View.
Hosted the second annual Women's Wellness Event at the OASIS Community Center, providing over 100 participants with free yoga, journaling sessions, breath work & meditation, a sound bath course, flow art movement, and a women's wellness panel.
Launched the first 2 adult skate nights, providing adults with a new way to roll into fun at Wick Playfield. Themes included "Disco Fever" and "Date Night."
Hosted the inaugural Family Day of Play at the newly renovated Wick Playfield. 194 participants kicked off the start of summer with family & individual games, an inflatable obstacle course, bingo, arts and crafts, educational games, and a foam frenzy party.
Celebrated the 18th annual Run Back to School 5K run/1.5-mile walk with over 1,100 participants.
Unveiled new 12-foot by 50-foot mural of Milwaukee sports icon Jimmy Banks outside Jimmy Banks Memorial Stadium.