Two major players in Milwaukee recently announced plans to launch the country’s first 100 percent accessible community center in Milwaukee’s Rufus King neighborhood. The $150 million project, called The Opportunity Center, is the joint effort of Damian Buchman, founder and executive director of The Ability Center, and Frank Cumberbatch, vice president of engagement at Bader Philanthropies.
The 300,000 square-foot center will be a recreational, social and wellness hub for low-to-moderate income underserved youth and elderly. Equipped with basketball and volleyball courts to a 25-yard pool and a 300-meter track with a 100-yard infield, the project aims to address systemic health inequities in one of Milwaukee’s most segregated neighborhoods, along with creating fitness and recreational opportunities for people affected by disability.
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Buchman, who has had numerous surgeries on his leg due to teen bone cancer, founded The Ability Center in 2012 to create opportunities for disabled people to be fit and active through sports and play. Cumberbatch, who ran track at UW-Oshkosh, shares Buchman’s passion for equity in public health outcomes.
The two connected in 2021, recognizing their shared vision for making wellness more accessible after Buchman submitted a proposal to Bader.
“Frank enlightened me on a plot of land he had identified, and it was clear to me we should unite to break down barriers through sports, play and recreation,” said Buchman. They now co-own the 22-acre plot, which is located between Green Bay Road and Interstate 43 and Capitol Drive and Hampton Avenue.
Funding is already underway. Bader Philanthropies contributed $5 million to the project, and presently, Buchman and Cumberbath are lobbying the Wisconsin legislature for $30 million in support. Once the $30 million is secured, the project can break ground. The pair anticipate phase one will take 18-24 months to complete, after which point the facility can open to the public.
While the project will rely on donor funding to launch, Buchman and Cumberbatch want the Center to be self-sustaining. “We want to work hard to make the city a destination by building a world-class facility, so we don’t have to go back year after year to ask the donor community for support,” said Cumberbatch. They plan to use the facilities for sports tournaments to earn revenue that will allow the Center not to turn away those who can’t afford to pay for membership.
The potential boost in tourism is appealing to local and state donors. But the significant public health impact of the Center is the primary driver, and why Buchman is confident in the State’s willingness to fund the project. “It’s less about how much it costs to do this, and more about how much it would cost the community if we didn’t do this,” he said.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to remove a reference to Buchman being an amputee. He has had 31 surgeries on his knees since his teenage years.
