Proposal to redevelop, restore Mitchell Park Domes; legislation signed

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson on Wednesday, July 30 signed legislation approving a proposal and funding commitment to redevelop and restore the Mitchell Park Domes.

The Domes are a landmark on Milwaukee's south side that has been around since the mid-1960s.

What we know:

In 2016, concrete crumbled, the Domes shut down and nets went up. For nearly a decade, the cash-strapped county wrestled with what to do with the crumbling concrete and leaking windows. 

On Wednesday, County Executive Crowley and Chairwoman Nicholson were joined by Milwaukee County Supervisors and local stakeholders.

"It’s no secret that this can has been kicked down the road far too many times, which has resulted in structural issues, deferred maintenance challenges that impacted the safety of the family and children who visited the domes and the surrounding park each day," Crowley said.

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Last week, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors passed an amendment to commit $30 million in capital funding for the restoration of the Mitchell Park Domes. 

This funding is contingent on the Milwaukee Domes Alliance securing additional non-county funding before any county tax levy dollars are released.

The restoration will move forward as a public-private partnership between Milwaukee County, the Milwaukee Domes Alliance, and philanthropic and private sector partners facilitated by the Alliance. As part of the agreement, Milwaukee County Parks will transfer ownership and operations of the Mitchell Park Domes to the Milwaukee Domes Alliance, while the County will continue to maintain horticultural operations. 

"What had been a story of woe, now becomes a story of wonder and of hope," Milwaukee Domes Alliance CEO Christa Beall Diefenbach said.

The Domes Reimagined Plan will add an interactive children’s garden, a larger gift shop and a new café. 

They'll also update the surrounding Mitchell Park.

"A green space is the life, the lungs, the beating heart of a district, and here in my district, Mitchell Park is that one," County Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez said.

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The nonprofit is also planning more programs.

What they're saying:

"The future of the Domes and Mitchell Park is important to our community. That’s why my administration worked with the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, Milwaukee County Parks, and local stakeholders to move the Domes Reimagined Plan forward," said Crowley.

"The Domes have always been a gathering space where children and adults can relax, connect with nature, and learn something new," said County Board Chairwoman Nicholson.

Dig deeper:

In order to get the county’s money, the nonprofit will have to fundraise for the rest of the first phase's price tag, which is $85 million more.

It includes needed repairs, like replacing and resealing 6,500 panes of glass to keep the rain out.

To find out how you can help the nonprofit meet its fundraising goals, visit the Milwaukee Domes’ website.

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