McKinley Marina Getting New Boat Launches

A view of Milwaukee’s Bradford Beach, McKinley Marina, and Veteran’s Park. June of 2012. Photo courtesy of MMSD.

The boat launch at McKinley Marina will be repaired in time for the boating season in Wisconsin.

Milwaukee County Parks is expecting the boat launches will be fully rebuilt within months, by the spring of 2025. The launches have sat in a deteriorated state for some time, with the traction grooves eroded from their ramps.

The project is one of the final pieces of a more than $9 million redevelopment of the marina parking lots since 2018, including new green infrastructure and stormwater retention, a new fish cleaning station, improved lighting and boat parking.

The county has budgeted approximately $1.4 million for the new boat launches, including a $137,000 recreational boating grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The marina is an important asset for the parks system. It is used by many local residents and organizations and brings in significant revenue for the department.

To reconstruct the boat launches, a temporary dam is built so the area around them can be drained. The launches will be rebuilt with poured-in-place concrete. The project also includes some minor dredging to remove sand and sediment deposits near the ramps.

The department expects construction will be finished by late March or early April, provided severe weather does not hamper construction.

The 2025 budget included a provision to create a trust account for the marina maintenance using a portion of the revenue the county collects through slip fees. The parks department has a significant backlog of infrastructure needs throughout the county, nearly $500 million worth of projects.

“There is a continued need for investment in the [marina] including parking lots, buildings, and dock infrastructure, but we realize that there are broad needs across the county as a whole,” Jeff Orlowski, director of recreation and business services told Urban Milwaukee in September.

Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.