The decrepit 60-year-old swimming and wading pools in Washington Park haven’t hosted splashing and squaliing swimmers since before the pandemic. But visitors to the historic West Side park could, in the next year or so, have a new way to cool off and experience the joy of summer.
In the latest move toward transforming Milwaukee County’s aging aquatic system, Milwaukee County Parks is seeking a consultant to lead the design and planning of a new “super splash pad” to replace Washington Park’s deteriorating pools.
The proposed project is being planned for the same location in the park and includes demolition of the existing deep-well swimming pool and wading pool, along with the design of a “destination” splash pad featuring multi-level play structures, slides, tipping buckets, water cannons and spray features. The area is located along the western portion of the park and is visible from Olmsted Way, the serpentine roadway named for the park’s creator, Frederick Law Olmsted, that connects Washington Boulevard to West Vliet Street.
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The county wants community input to play a key role in shaping the future of the Washington Park aquatics area. Milwaukee County Parks’ community engagement team is partnering with social service agency Rooted & Rising-Washington Park to host an initial public input meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 at the Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W. Vliet St., during which residents will have an opportunity to share their ideas, preferences and priorities for this space.
“We are just starting the project, and do not have a design yet,” said Sarah Toomsen, director of planning for Milwaukee County Parks. “This week’s meeting is intended to share the project scope, and meet with neighbors to talk about what the project will entail. We will have future engagement opportunities to talk specifically about design and public preferences.”
A Declining Amenity
At one time, the swimming and wading pools had been popular features of the 130-acre West Side park.
The pool opened in 1964, far outlasting public pools’ expected lifespan of about 20 years, according to the county. By the time the pool closed in 2019, it needed significant capital investment and instead the pool house was boarded up.
Operational challenges also reduced how the pool could be used. Originally designed with depths from 2 to 11 feet, only about half of the pool was open and staffed in its final years due to resource constraints. In its final year, the pool had the highest per-swimmer cost in the county system, at about $33.80, according to Milwaukee County Parks.
The county sees an array of advantages to replacing the pools with a destination splash pad: serving a wider range of users, less staffing and maintenance, more reliable operations and accessible water play, even for those who are unable to swim.
“This is an exciting step forward in reimagining Washington Park’s aquatics area for future generations,” Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith said in a statement. “We are committed to creating a space that reflects community needs, improves accessibility and provides a safe, engaging and modern water experience for families across Milwaukee County.”
Milwaukee County Parks will also evaluate whether an existing small splash pad will be able to remain open while the new one is built.
Excitement in the Neighborhood
Washington Park neighbors are excited for the long-awaited development.
“If it’s something that can be done right, it’ll be a great thing to have,” Steve Roeder, interim president of the Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, told Milwaukee Magazine. “I was saddened that the pool shut down.”
Roeder, who has lived in Washington Heights since 1996, said Washington Park has experienced a resurgence in recent years with activities such as Washington Park Wednesdays, a free summer concert series at the park’s historic bandshell.
“Something like a new splash pad would bring together even more people who aren’t necessarily alike and give us the opportunity to learn from and enjoy spending time with each other,” he said.
Roeder added that he noticed a decline in the use of the Washington Park swimming pool in the years immediately before its closing, something he attributed to the opening of the new Hoyt Park pool in May 2011 in neighboring Wauwatosa. The older pool at Hoyt Park closed in 2003 after 60 years in operation due to the familiar problems of severe structural problems and rising operational costs. “When the Hoyt Park pool opened up, everybody went there because it was new,” he said.
Roeder believes the increased foot traffic he expects from the new splash pad will be a boost to the overall safety of the park.
County Links Up With Partners
Milwaukee County Parks is working closely with Rooted & Rising and neighborhood partners to ensure the design process reflects the desires of those who live in the area and use the park the most.
“We want this to be a space that truly belongs to the community,” Milwaukee County Parks community engagement manager Tony Giron said in a statement. “We are making sure the final design is informed by the people who know Washington Park best.”
Designed in 1891 by Olmsted, the creator of New York City’s Central Park as well as Lake Park and Riverside Park in Milwaukee, Washington Park is situated immediately east of Hwy. 175 and north of Washington Boulevard. It has a deep history and features a wide range of amenities, including sports courts, playgrounds, trails, a lagoon and the newly expanded and revitalized Urban Ecology Center, which opened in February 2025.
Washington Park’s most prominent feature is its art deco bandshell, which has hosted concerts since 1938. The park also served as home to the Milwaukee County Zoo from 1892 to 1958.
Milwaukee Parks Foundation will support the splash pad project through fundraising that will complement existing public funding. The first design phase of the project is expected to cost $180,000, Toomsen said.
A final summary could be prepared by the end of summer, with a cost breakdown and concept designs to follow and construction potentially launching in summer 2027.
The project’s website has more information and upcoming community engagement opportunities.
