Milwaukee Recreation celebrates renovation at Metcalfe Playfield

On Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, Milwaukee Recreation celebrated the grand reopening of Metcalfe Playfield, part of the department's push to renovate its network of playfields throughout the city of Milwaukee.

This project represents a full-scale renovation that transforms how the community uses this space. Metcalfe Playfield (2350 N. 33rd St.) now features an upgraded walking loop, age-appropriate playground equipment, a splash pad and cooling plaza, basketball courts, shade structures, a body weight exercise equipment area, a football field, and a multi-purpose field. New and upgraded site amenities were added, including seating, lighting, benches and trash receptacles, and the fieldhouse was renovated with improved restrooms, storage, and multi-purpose areas.

The playfield incorporates green infrastructure systems, native flowers, shade trees, and granite pavers repurposed from old City of Milwaukee streets, bringing sustainability to the heart of the neighborhood.

Milwaukee Recreation hosted community engagement sessions at Metcalfe Playfield in the summer and fall of 2023. Community participation at these events was critical in determining programming and design priorities.

Metcalfe Playfield is the 15th Milwaukee Recreation site to undergo a completed renovation. On Thursday, Oct. 8 from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Milwaukee Recreation is celebrating the completed renovation of Cass Street Playfield alongside partners Milwaukee Public Schools, Reflo, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture & Urban Planning as part of the the Green & Healthy Schools initiative. The new playfield features multiple gathering areas, bioswales, and 75 stormwater trees. Native plants create unique spaces representing natural Wisconsin ecosystems, and a porous synthetic soccer turf with an underground cistern manages rainwater on-site.