Supervisor Wasserman Statement on Proposed Changes to the Bradford Beach Bathhouse
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon A. Wasserman released the following statement regarding the proposed changes at Bradford Beach:
“There has been an enormous amount of misinformation regarding the proposed changes to the Bradford Beach bathhouse floating around. The beach is NOT being privatized and NOT being sold. Under the terms of the County’s current lease, The Dock is proposing to expand their food and beverage service to the currently vacant second floor of the bathhouse.
“The removable modular bar being proposed has been approved the City of Milwaukee Historic Preservation Committee. The City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services is still conducting an Americans with Disabilities Act review of the changes.
“Bradford Beach has been working with private vendors for many years, and The Dock has been a partner of Milwaukee County Parks for the last two years. They clean the public bathrooms and help maintain the sand and the pavilion itself. They’re also responsible for rolling out the “RampUpMKE” accessible ramp.
“Additionally, the County Board does not have the authority to approve or deny this proposal. The proposed change is within the terms of the lease approved by the County Board in 2019. I encourage anyone interested in the most recent proposal to read the related legislative file.
“Our County Parks are facing an enormous fiscal challenge that has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. Public-private partnerships like this generate revenue for our Countywide parks system and help keep our facilities open and clean.
“Last month, I sent a survey to thousands of District 3 residents and included the question: “Should the food vendor at Bradford Beach expand the footprint of their restaurant into the upper level of the Bradford Beach bathhouse?” To date, I have received over 500 responses with 78% (390) answering “Yes” and 22% (111) answering “No.”
“I appreciate the constituents that have reached out and voiced their opinions. The public will still have access to the bathhouse. No one will be forced to buy concessions and the beach is not for sale.
The Lakefront Development Advisory Commission will meet on January 27 at 5:30 PM. The Commission plans to hear public testimony on this proposal. The full details of the proposed changes to the bathhouse are available on the County Legislative Information Center.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Sup. Sheldon Wasserman
