Parks Plans Removal of Holler Park Pool, Other Disused Buildings

Holler Park Pool. Photo by Milwaukee County Parks.

There are two ways to reduce the backlog of infrastructure needs in the Milwaukee County Parks system: fix or demolish. The parks system is about to pursue the demolition route.

Milwaukee County Parks does not have the funding necessary to maintain all of the system’s buildings and assets. The backlog of maintenance and infrastructure needs has been estimated at half a billion dollars. Through simple neglect, many buildings and recreational assets are already failing.

Many other buildings are left vacant, for lack of staff to operate them. In turn, these unused buildings attract graffiti, vandalism and property damage. Many unused buildings are still heated throughout the winter to prevent pipes from freezing.

All of these issues mean the park system is spending funding on unused or unusable buildings; funding that could be invested elsewhere. The 2024 county budget included approximately $500,000 to begin getting rid of some of these park properties and assets.

“Parks sees these as opportunities to convert an underused or neglected park asset with something more modern and attractive to park users,” according to a recent report by Peter Bratt, director of operations and skilled trades.

The department recently developed a list of assets it considers candidates for demolition and removal. For some, the department has already set aside funds to develop replacement assets and amenities. If all the targeted assets are removed, two acres of asphalt will be replaced with green space, supporting the department’s other money-saving policy of reducing the amount of pavement.

“Over the past few months, Parks has been working with the Department of Administrative Services’ Architecture and Engineering Team to develop priorities for converting some sites to a more active use, and has also gathered information on permits, fixture removals, demolition costs,” according to the report.

The list of assets for removal will go to the Milwaukee County Board for consideration in July.

Holler Park Pool

Parks plans to remove both pool basins at the Holler Park pool facility. The pools have not been opened in several years. They were originally developed in partnership with the Easter Seals organization, which operated out of an adjacent building. But Easter Seals also left, and the building has most recently been used by the county’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) as a warming facility. Removing the 7,290 square feet of pool basin would open up space to develop a new recreational amenity, according to parks.

Kinnickinnic Parkway Tennis Courts

Between S. 20th and S. 22nd streets, along the Kinnickinnic River Parkway, are 31,000 square feet of tennis courts that have been deteriorating and unplayable for a decade. Parks plans to rip them out and replace them with green space.

Pavilion in St. Martin’s Park

Parks does not use the 1,190-square-foot pavilion. It represents a safety concern with a failing roof and would be replaced with green space.

Parking Lot in Hales Corners Park

Parks plans to remove the parking lot on the west side of Hales Corners Park, which sits off of W. Godsell Avenue. The 22,000-square-foot lot is in poor condition and would be replaced with green space.

Asphalt Pad and Batting Cages in Indigenous Peoples Park

A 12,000-square-foot asphalt pad and abandoned batting cages would be removed from the park and replaced with green space.

Comfort Building in Cupertino Park

The 907-square-foot building has been unused for more than 15 years, according to the department. Removing it would allow for picnic tables with a view of Lake Michigan.

Comfort Building in Manitoba Park

Another comfort building, this one unused and deteriorating, according to Parks. It could be replaced with an open-air shelter or a hard surface court.

Pump House at Lincoln Park Golf Course

The small 140-square-foot building sits in the Milwaukee River floodplain and has not been used since the 1990s.