Washington Park Aquatics Plan

Introduction

Milwaukee County Parks is planning a new aquatic facility in Washington Park to better serve the community now and into the future.

This project will explore replacing the former deep well pool with a destination splashpad — a modern, interactive water feature designed for all ages. The planning process will include opportunities for community members to learn about the project, share feedback, and help shape the future of this important space.

Community input will play a key role in guiding design decisions, ensuring the new facility reflects neighborhood needs, priorities, and experiences.

Background

The Washington Park Pool originally opened in 1964 and served the community for nearly 62 years. Over time, the facility became increasingly difficult and costly to maintain.

Most pools and their related systems have an expected lifespan of approximately 20 years. By the time the pool closed in 2019, it required significant capital investment to remain operational. Identified needs included:

• Full liner replacement
• Major piping repairs
• Cracking in the filter system, with recommendations to convert to a sand filter system
• Fencing that did not meet current safety standards
• Original 1960s-era lighting requiring full replacement
• Maintenance areas with limited access and constrained headroom
• Aging drain components that were difficult to operate
• No ADA-accessible accommodations

In addition, operational challenges had already reduced how the pool could be used. Although originally designed with depths ranging from 2 to 11 feet, only about half of the pool was open and staffed in its final years due to resource constraints.

The pool was last operated in 2019 and had the highest cost per swimmer in the Milwaukee County Parks system, at approximately $33.80 per swimmer.

Restoring the pool would require substantial upfront investment as well as ongoing operational funding to address these challenges.

Aquatics Facilities Study

Between 2023 and 2025, Milwaukee County Parks evaluated aquatic facilities across the system to ensure long-term sustainability, accessibility, and equity via the Aquatics Facilities Study. This work has identified a growing need to transition from aging, operationally intensive pools toward more flexible and cost-effective aquatic amenities such as destination splashpads.

Destination Splashpads:

• Serve a wide range of users, especially families and young children
• Require less staffing and maintenance than traditional pools
• Offer consistent, reliable operations throughout the season
• Provide accessible water play without requiring swimming ability

Milwaukee County Parks recognizes that the former pool holds deep meaning for the community. This project is an opportunity to honor that history while working together to create a new aquatic experience that meets today’s needs and can be sustained for years to come.

Community Engagement Plan

Milwaukee County Parks has partnered with Rooted & Rising, a community-based organization that has strong ties to Washington Park. We are committed to a transparent, inclusive, and meaningful engagement process. The process will occur in two phases and is designed to ensure community members are both informed and empowered to shape the project.

Phase 1: Education & Listening

The first phase will focus on building shared understanding and gathering community perspectives.

During this phase, the project team will:

• Share information about:
  • The condition and limitations of the pool
  • Costs and challenges associated with reopening it
  • The role of destination splashpads in the park system
• Host community listening sessions and pop-up events
• Conduct a survey to gather input on community experiences, concerns, and priorities

This phase is intended to ensure that all participants have the information needed to engage meaningfully in the next stage of the process.

Phase 2: Design & Co-Creation

In the second phase, a design team will develop preliminary concepts for the site based on technical considerations and Phase 1 input.

Community members will be invited to react to and refine these concepts through:

• Public open houses
• Interactive workshops
• Additional surveys and pop-up events

Feedback will focus on key design and operational decisions, including:

• Splashpad features and overall experience
• Site layout and circulation
• Seating, shade, and gathering spaces
• Restrooms, concessions, and building improvements
• Whether to retain or modify the existing splashpad
• Potential operations, including hours and whether a nominal fee should be considered

Engagement Timeline

• Spring 2026: Education, outreach, and community listening
• Summer 2026: Public review and input on design concepts
• End of Summer 2026: Community engagement complete and final summary prepared