MILWAUKEE – On Tuesday, October 25, County Supervisor Peter Burgelis issued the following statement on his amendment to the 2023 budget which removes $1,685,345 from the North Point parking lot project and funds a $624,577 playground replacement in Doyne Park.
“The lakefront is a jewel for our community, but the cost of replacing these 30 lakefront parking spots is too expensive – creative and lower cost alternatives are yet to be considered. It’s time to pause on this aspect of the North Point project. Our very limited Parks dollars must stretch throughout the County and residents near Doyne Park need investment from Milwaukee County,” said Supervisor Burgelis. “Great efforts were made by the County Executive in preparing his 2023 Recommended Budget; however, opportunities still exist to prioritize people, not thirty $56,000 parking spaces. I would urge my colleagues on the County Board to support returning this playground to the 2023 budget. The neighborhood kids shouldn’t have to wait until they graduate high school for an updated playground.”
For the past 40 years Doyne Park was home to a par 3, nine-hole golf course. Unfortunately, due to ongoing budget shortfalls and staff shortages within Milwaukee County Parks, the golf course closed in 2021.
The $624,577 playground replacement in Doyne Park was removed from the Capital Improvement Committee list of projects earlier this year.
The Parks Department has indicated that due to the landfill underneath the park, future amenities cannot include anything that penetrates the soil. This is also relevant to the closing of the golf course itself, as after the original irrigation system failed, staff needed to manually water the course each day.
More information can be found at mkecountyparks.org/future-of-doyne-park.
