Today it’s Rose Park, but many residents in the neighborhood still refer to it as Garfield Park.
It was the playground for Thomas Andrew Miles, who grew up across the street.
“I would come to the park at 8 a.m. and go home at dark in the summer and before and after school,” he said. “I would cross the park going and coming from school.”
In those days there was ice skating, tennis, baseball and watching games. “It was part of my home,” he smiled.
Today he’s 64, still lives in the neighborhood and still goes to the same 9-acre park at 3045 N. King Drive every day.
Now he checks out the Internet on the computers at the park’s Clinton and Bernice Rose Senior Center, works out in the fitness facility, has some lunch and gets to know the other seniors who come for activities.
Like many others at the center and in the neighborhood, he said he would like to see the park spruced up and improved with more activities to attract a new generation.
Last week over pizza, chicken wings and lemonade, about 35 residents and interested parties attended the second of two meetings that have been scheduled by the Harambee Great Neighborhood Initiative to start drafting ideas, plans and a vision to redevelop and reinvigorate the park.
“The county has done a good job of maintaining the park, but we think there are things we can do to enhance the park, and we want to work with the county and others,” said J. Allen Stokes, coordinator of the Harambee Initiative.
Milwaukee County Parks Director John Dargle attended the meeting and praised the group for doing the groundwork to provide the county with information on what residents would like to see in the park.
“It helps us as we go forward with a physical assessment and what repairs and improvements are needed,” he said.
County Supervisor Willie Johnson also attended the meeting and told the group that in the 2014 budget, the county has allocated $14,900 to reconstruct the basketball courts.
As the planning continues, it’s important to also look for ways to finance projects, he said.
Once plans are developed, applications will be made for grants from foundations and other private sources, said Leif Otteson, a community organizer with the Harambee Initiative. Forming a Friends of Rose Park also may be considered to gather support, he said.
Two years ago, students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture’s Community Design Solutions drew up plans for a “what if” project for Rose Park as a class exercise.
Now those plans have been pulled out, and some students are working with residents and others to draw up new possibilities for the park.
Today the park contains a softball field, two basketball courts, playground, wading pool, a storage or bath house, the senior center and 70 parking stalls.
Residents’ wish list
At last week’s visioning sessions, residents quickly drew up a long wish list for the park that included: an ice skating rink, bandstand, community gardens, new landscaping, native plants, a water fountain, modern lighting, soccer field, bike and walking paths, a children’s area, benches, an amphitheater, picnic tables and improvements to the basketball and softball fields.
When Lashante Nickson, 10, was told by her godmother she would be attending the meeting on ideas for the park, the young girl drew up her own plans with a pencil and paper that included tire swings and a teeter totter.
Her godmother, Keya Shumpert, said she grew up at the park and would like to see it be more “kid-friendly.”
“We don’t come now because there’s not much to do,” she said.
For the last 30 years, Ronald Radcliff has been playing softball at the park. “I’ve been playing since I was 18. I still play and I love it,” he said.
“I’ve been hoping something would happen to improve the park, because other parks are getting fixed up,” he said.
There’s been a park on this spot since 1866, when it was called Schuetzen (Rifleman’s) Park, according to a history of the park included in the UWM plans. Programs included a rifle range, beer garden, bowling alley, dance hall and saloon.
In 1891, it was sold to the Pabst Brewery and renamed Pabst Park. It was turned into an amusement park with a roller coaster, carousel and fun house.
Then, in 1921, Pabst Park was renamed Garfield Park after the 20th president of the United States. The city turned over the park to the county in 1937.
In the 1970s it was renamed, first in honor of County Supervisor Clinton Rose. Later the name of his wife, Bernice, who succeeded him on the County Board, was added. In 1982, the senior center was constructed.
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