Sometimes you don't have to travel far to discover an oasis within the midst of your city. Greenfield Park, one of Milwaukee County's finest, is one such destination. It contains a leg of the famous Oak Leaf Trail, and many a biker and hiker can enjoy ample wooded and open scenic hiking throughout. It is also a popular spot for family events and wedding celebrations, with a total of three picnic areas (two with shelters) and one pavilion for rental. Quite some time ago, the in-laws held a Thanksgiving gathering at the Greenfield Pavilion for a change of scenery. This summer, I will be spinning the 45s as DJ Lipshtick for a co-workers' wedding reception shindig in June.
There is a large, 0.6 mile, tree-lined lagoon in the heart of the park, where ducks and geese like to flock. The fish you will find inside its 15-feet depths are Panfish and Largemouth Bass. In the summer, things are often hopping with one of the few affordable urban water parks for the kiddies, complete with several slides, heated pool, and a giant tube. Cool Waters Family Water Park is open seasonally. Other park highlights include an 18-hole, forest-lined golf course, baseball diamond, and sand volleyball. If summer seems too busy for you, AJ Page and I have enjoyed more than one fall hike at this location, when bright yellow and golden leaves of every hue flood the paths in a picturesque blanket.
Milwaukee County Parks have been in local news quite a bit as of late, most noticeably with the plight of The Mitchell Park Domes, in desperate need of restoration. As per the History of the Parks page on the county.milwaukee.gov website: "Our park system began with the creation of The Milwaukee County Park Commission on August 20, 1907. Although parks had already been established within the limits of the City of Milwaukee by the City Park Commission, the visionary new County Park Commission had a much broader goal for the park system. Early Commissioners conceived of a park system that would form a 'green belt' or series of scenic drives and parks encircling the county."
Milwaukee County Executive candidate Chris Larson is currently holding a series of town hall- style meetings in various parks throughout the Milwaukee area. The "Protecting our Parks Tour" continues through Sunday, April 3. Here are the remaining scheduled meetings:
Dineen Park
6601 W. Vienna St., Milwaukee
Sunday, March 26, 2 - 4 p.m.
Humboldt Park
at the Humboldt Park Pavilion
3000 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee
Sunday, April 3, 1 - 3 p.m.
King Park
at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center
1531 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee
Sunday, April 3, 5 - 8 p.m.
Greenfield Park is located at 2028 S. 124th Street in West Allis. For pavilion and picnic reservations, call 414-257-8030. For a map and overview of the park, go here.
