Milwaukee South News

Community members recently participated in a survey to assist the Village Board in selecting new playground equipment for Community Center Park. This project is part of the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and aims to replace outdated equipment with ADA-compliant and all-abilities components.

The Village received proposals from three vendors at two price points, seeking public input on preferred designs. The survey was conducted online from June 16 to August 9, 2024, with hard copies available at the Greendale Public Library.

A total of 399 responses were collected, with 391 submitted online and eight through hard copies. For the $150,000 budget level, Burke's design received 245 votes (61%), Gametime received 137 votes, and Landscape Structures received 17 votes. At the $300,000 budget level, Burke's design again led with 238 votes (60%), followed by Gametime with 125 votes and Landscape Structures with 36 votes.

When asked about their most preferred option considering cost, overall value, and inclusive play equipment, respondents favored the Burke-$300,000 option with 164 votes. This was followed by the Gametime-$300,000 option (91), Burke-$150,000 option (86), and Gametime-$150,000 option (28).

Regarding support for spending $300,000 on playground equipment without grant funding—even if it delayed the project by a year—278 respondents (71%) answered "Yes," while 115 (29%) answered "No."

In terms of playground usage during warmer months: 145 respondents said they use it "Several Times Per Week," 65 said "Once a Week," 59 said "A Few Times a Month," 26 said "Once Per Month," while others indicated less frequent use.

The Village is awaiting a decision from the Wisconsin DNR regarding potential grant funding for the Community Center playground. Once decided, the Village Board will determine whether to proceed with one of the playground designs in 2025. Updates will be provided on this website and in the Village Views newsletter.