Parks Plans New Projects in Walker Square Park

Walker Square Park. Photo taken August 14th, 2016 by Dave Reid.

Milwaukee County Parks is planning several major changes to Walker Square Park.

In 2024, the City of Milwaukee decided to withdraw funds from an overperforming tax incremental financing (TIF) district in the Walker Square neighborhood and allocated $750,000 to Milwaukee County Parks for improvements to the local park. City TIF districts have funded county parks in the past, financing projects in Juneau Park, Cathedral Square Park, Red Arrow Park and Zeidler Union Square.

Before deciding what projects to fund, Parks surveyed local residents and consulted local community organizations like the Walker Square Neighborhood Association and Friends of Walker Square Park. The results of that public engagement, and systemwide planning projects, are guiding the department’s plans going forward, according to the department, which completed a detailed framework planning document for the park in January this year.

The department will work with a design consultant this year to plan a range of projects in the park, including removal of the existing wading pool, construction of a new central plaza, a new play water fountain, replacement of pathways and identification of space for new public art. The department is also looking to add new and better lighting, as well as invest in more trees for the park.

The projects are all aimed at making the park more useful and accessible, and also at improving aging infrastructure and supporting the park’s historic use as a community gathering space. The park is one of the oldest public squares in Milwaukee. The land was originally a gift to the city from one of its three founders, George H. Walker.

The department has prioritized the projects in recently released public bidding documents, placing removal of the wading pool at the top. The wading pool was identified for removal in the department’s long-range aquatics plan, which recommends shifting the system away from wading pools to splash pads that are more cost-effective in terms of maintenance and staffing. Parks is planning to replace the wading pool with a play fountain, which would also allow Parks to remove the fencing around the pool, opening up the park.

Planning and design should be completed by the end of the year, and parks anticipates construction will begin in 2027.

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