Community Recreation Center Committee Sept 2024-Nov. 2025

Final presentation to the School Board

The committee's work is coming to a close as it was designed to do. The committee will present to the School Board on November 19. The public is welcome to attend in person or virtually.

Find information regarding school board meetings, including the link to join virtually

Background Information:

A committee of community members, the school district, and the Recreation department employees has been meeting to discuss the potential interest in pursuing a stand-alone community recreation center since October 2024.

The committee held the first of two community workshops on April 3, 2025. That workshop asked the questions: Should SDSM pursue a stand-alone recreation center, and if so, what should be included in that recreation center?

On September 24, 2025, the committee held its second workshop to show the community architectural renderings and review cost projections for various configurations of the proposed building.

September 24, 2025 Workshop

September 24, 2025 Workshop Presentation

Photos from the September workshop

Community Workshop Summary

September 24, 2025

September 24, 2025

Summary: 72 individuals submitted surveys at the Community Workshop, and the majority of responses noted that they were in favor of pursuing a standalone community recreation center. Program preference trends favored a 3-station gym, a large kitchen, and a pool. Most comments, and the “No” votes especially, reflected a concern over tax implications and a desire to pursue other options besides constructing a new Community Recreation Center.

Event Background: The Community Workshop that was held on September 24th consisted of a brief presentation, and then small group discussion and reflection on the potential costs associated with constructing a new stand-alone Community Recreation Center. Individuals were invited to fill out a program preference survey which presented different site amenity options along with their predicted costs. Attendees filled out the form, and were then invited to turn in their surveys to the facilitator based on whether they were in favor of seeing this project continue, if they were still undecided, or if they felt this initiative should stop.

Program Preference Survey Responses - Broad Strokes:

72 survey responses were collected from 13 information tables
39 surveys voted that they were in favor of the project moving forward
15 surveys were uncertain
18 surveys voted that they were not interested in a stand-alone community center

Table #	Yes	No	Maybe	Table Total
1	0	5	1	6
2	6	1	1	7
3	7	0	0	7
4	6	0	32	8
5	3	0	3	6
6	0	3	0	3
7	5	3	0	8
8	1	0	4	5
9	3	1	0	4
10	4	0	0	4
11	3	0	0	3
12	0	5	2	7
13	2	0	0	2
Total	39	18	15	7

Summarized data from Yes and Maybe Votes (54 total votes)

Gym Space (Responders were asked to choose one of the options)
- 2 Station - 15% of Responders
- 3 Station - 57% of Responders
- 4 Station - 17% of Responders
- No Response - 11% of Responders
Kitchen (Responders were asked to choose one of the options)
- Small - 35% of Responders
- Large - 54% of Responders
- No Response - 11% of Responders
Athletic + Multi Purpose Spaces (Responders were asked to choose as many of the options below as they’d like)
- Fitness Center - 61% of Responders
- Fitness Studio - 55% of Responders
- Medium MP - 31% of Responders
- Large MP - 44% of Responders
Pool (Responders were asked to choose one of the options below)
- Yes - 62% of Responders
- No - 37% of Responders

Demographic Summary (From All votes, 72 total votes)

Time in SM:
- 3 or less years - 4% of Responders
- 4-10 years - 10% of Responders
- 11-20 years - 15% of Responders
- 21+ years - 70% of Responders
- No Response - 1% of Responders
Former Participant in Rec Programming?
- Yes - 65% of Responders
- No -31% of Responders
- No Response - 4% of Responders

Summarized Data from No Votes:

13 out of the 18 responders did not list any building preferences in the survey
Majority of comments reflected a concern over the potential tax implications and costs associated with making a community center

High Level Comment Summary:

48 survey responders left comments
12 comments explicitly mentioned costs as a concern
Desire to look into a “Plan B”, or “other option” (partnership with another district, etc) came up in 11 comments
Pool was listed as a high priority item in 9 comments

Stand-Alone Recreation Center Concept

Concept Example

First Level Amenities

Second Level Amenities

Tax Impact Chart

This chart represents the estimated increase in taxes on a $220,000 home.
*South Milwaukee Average Home Value $221,016

Total Project Cost	Yearly Tax Increase
$10 million	$66
$20 million	$132
$30 million	$198
$40 million	$264
$50 million	$330
$60 million	$369

April 3, 2025 Workshop

More than 100 residents came out to hear about what the committee has accomplished so far and gave input on these two questions:

Is the community of South Milwaukee interested in building a community recreation center?
If so, what should be included in a potential community recreation center?

April 3 Presentation

PDF of the Presentation
Plain text of the presentation

PDF of the Presentation

Plain text of the presentation

Community Workshop
Community Recreation Center
April 3rd, 2025

Our Main Goal:
Is the Community Recreation Center Committee on the right track?

Committee Members
Community Members, District Employees, and Recreation Staff
Clinton Verley
David Kieck
Doug Perry
Jason Termaat
Jeff Crogan
John Galewski
Joshua Zeman
Katie Swanson
Kevin Kempen
Michael Moeller
Patrick Brever
Ralph Harkins
Steven Champagne
Tony Goodenough
Stan Dorff - Recreation Director
Carol Dufek - Manager of BG
Dan Arnold - Director of Bus. Srvcs
Patrick Hintz - Board Member
Andy Simmons - Board Member

Important Note:
We are not looking at specific options and costs tonight
The Committee has not reviewed specific designs or costs
No formal decisions about a potential community recreation center have been made

Today’s Agenda:
Introductory Presentation - about 20 minutes
Recreation Department Basics
Recreation Center Committee
Vision Statement / Guiding Principles
Table Conversations - As much time as needed
Conclude - by 8 p.m. at the latest

Some basic facts and figures
Recreation Department

Recreation Department
From a funding perspective - it’s separate
Communities either fund their Recreation Departments through their school districts, or their local governments
South Milwaukee’s is administered by the School Board
The Community Service Fund, Fund 80 - is a separate fund from the District’s General Fund, Fund 10
It’s illegal to use a dollar from the Community Service Fund for Instructional Purposes

Recreation Department - History / Role in Community
Established in 1938 - originally part of the city
School Board took full control of the Recreation Department in 1982

Mission Statement:
The Recreation Department is committed to improving the quality of life for all residents and students.

Recreation Programs
Aquatics
~ 400
Participants annually

Swim Lessons
SMAC
Private Swim Lessons
Community Open & Lap Swim

Dance
~ 57
Participants annually

Ballet
Tap
Jazz
Tumbling & POMS
Recitals

Instructor, Susan Wisniewski-Nikolai is retiring following the recital in April. She has taught in this program for 30 years. Mary Berger, her assistant, will be taking over the program in 2025-26.
Youth Art
~ 200
Participants annually

Little Artist Camp
Fun With Clay Camp
Creative Kids Camp
Art Adventure
Painting Camp
Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes

Adult Art
~ 175
Participants Annually
Watercolor Painting Workshop
Drawing Workshop
New Adult Offerings for 2024-25
Decorative Outdoor Pavers
Beginners Crochet
Watercolor Cards
Paint & Take
Family Paint & Take

Recreation Programs
Youth Sports Leagues
~ 475
Participants annually

Coed Youth Basketball Leagues (Winter - 3rd - 8th Grade)
HS Coed Basketball League (Winter 9th - 12th Grade)
Coed Youth Volleyball League (Fall & Spring - 3rd - 8th Grade)
Coed Flag Football (Fall - 3rd - 5th Grade)

Youth Camps
~470
Participants annually

Baseball & Softball Hitting & Pitching
Chess Camp
T-Ball
Soccer
Track & Field
Poms, Dance, Cheerleading & Tumbling
Fundamentals of Flag Football
Wrestling Camp
Little Bucks Basketball Camp
Archery
Football Skills & Conditioning
NEW in 2024-25 - Creative Drama Classes
Skyhawk Sports Camps: Floor Hockey; Mini Sports Camp; Tot’s Hoopster Camp, Soccer, volleyball and Golf

New For 2025: NFL Girls Flag Football!

Recreation Programs
Additional Youth Programs
~ 142
Participants annually

Rocket Basketball Clinic
Middle School Running Club
Red Cross Babysitting Courses
Sailing Classes
Hunter Education Course
Wrestling Club (5k-5th Grade)
Cooking Classes

Youth Tournaments
~312 + 700 (spectators)
Participants annually

Terry Schmidt Memorial Basketball Tournament
City-Wide Free Throw Tournament

Recreation Programs
Fall
Cross Country
Tackle Football
SEC Girls Basketball

Winter
SEC Boys Basketball
Wrestling

Spring
SEC Volleyball
SEC Track
Sports
~214
Participants annually

NEW! Middle School Athletic Director

Recreation Programs
Adult Leagues
~ 248
Participants annually

24 Adult Mens Basketball teams

8 Adult Womens Volleyball teams

Adult Enrichment Programs

Controlling Cable & Internet Costs
The Camera in Your Smartphone
You Have Pictures in Your Camera - Now What?
Old Family Photos & the Digital Age
Smartphone Video & Editing
Learn the Basics Excel, Word & AI
Art - Watercolor & Drawing Classes
Crochet Classes
Watercolor Cards Classes
Decorative Outdoor Pavers

Major programs / Services
Youth and adult Basketball and Volleyball (693 participants)

Middle School Sports ( 214 participants)
Fall:       Cross Country -        Tackle Football       Girls Basketball
Winter:   Boy Basketball       Wrestling
Spring:   Girls Volleyball       Track

Other Programs (6000 participants)
Various Sport Camps Fitness Center Running Track Youth Camps
Before & After School Care Adult League Enrichment programs

Aquatics ( 400 participants)
Swim lesson Swim Club Lap & Open Swim Private Swim Lessons

Recreation Department - Major areas of need / challenges
Security
difficult to offer programming in school spaces during the school day
Fitness center members subject to background checks and bag searches
Can’t offer other rec programming during the school day

Space
Recreational programming must yield to School District activities for space
Activities are offered around the district instead of one centralized location

History and Discussions so Far
Recreation Center Committee

History
The School Board will have reviewed formal reports regarding community offerings made available to the South milwaukee Community outside of the district’s general fund, including but not limited to the potential construction of a stand-alone recreation center
Pre - 22/23
Preliminary Discussions, and Funding begins to be put aside
5 Year Strategic Plan Completed
23/24
Committee is Formed
24/25
By the end of the 28-29 school year:
Recreation Department toured other Rec Centers

Needs Identified:
Safety
Programing / Scheduling
Other Rec Centers

Creation of the Recreation Center Committee:
The School Board approved the creation of a committee to answer two guiding questions:
Is the community of South Milwaukee interested in building a Community Recreation Center?
If so, what should be included in a potential Community Recreation Center?

An Application Process was shared with the community, and the committee met for the first time on October 16th

Summary of Meetings to Date:
10/16 - Intros / Norms
11/06
Guiding Principles
Agreed this should be a Community Space
Began to look for an architectural partner for future discussions
11/20
Toured the New Berlin + West Allis Recreation Centers
12/12
Reviewed information from Tours
Ironed out Guiding Principles to current status
01/08
Reviewed financial projections in broad strokes
01/22
Discussed sites
Narrowed our discussions to the practice field of the soccer complex
02/19
First meeting with EUA
Discussed pools
02/26
Discussed programming with EUA
Agreed on the need for a community workshop
03/19
Reviewed the format for today’s presentation

Function is more important than size
Versatility is essential
Spaces need to be able to serve multiple functions
Kitchen space became an item of discussion
The amount of gym space needed became a key discussion point
Key Findings from Tours

A new South Milwaukee Community Recreation Center will provide a safe, versatile, and convenient space for community enrichment, service, and growth through recreation department programming and community partnerships.
Vision:
Guiding Principles
The committee is interested in potentially constructing a community recreation center because of its potential to:

Enrich the community
Support and provide educational opportunities for the community
Serve the community
Consolidate recreation programming into one space
Provide flexibility for recreation programming

Provide additional space, namely gym space, for recreation programming
Streamline safety processes
Efficiently utilize community resources

We want your input before we move forward
Are we on the right track with the vision and guiding principles?

General Questions?

Table Discussions
Discuss a question, then share out with the whole group

Is the community of South Milwaukee interested in building a community recreation center?

What are your thoughts on the committee’s vision and guiding principles?

What should be included in a potential community recreation center?

Next Steps:
The committee will review today’s data
We’d look to hold another workshop in the future

Thank you!

Download the PDF of the Presentation

West Allis West Milwaukee Rec Center

See what other communities are doing

Community Recreation Center Committee Members

Dan Arnold
SDSM Director of Business Services

Patrick Brever
City of South Milwaukee Administrator

Kelsey Citkowski
SMHS Teacher

Jeff Crogan
Community Member

Stan Dorff
Director - South Milwaukee Recreation Department

Carol Dufek
SDSM Manager of Buildings and Grounds

John Galewski
Community Member

Tony Goodenough
Community Member

Ralph Harkins
Community Member

Patrick Hintz
SDSM School Board Member

David Keick
Community Member

Kevin Kempen
SDSM Middle School Associate Principal

Michael Moeller
Community Member

Doug Perry
Community Member

Andy Simmons
SDSM School Board Member

Katie Swanson
SMHS English Teacher/Community Member

Jason Termaat
SDSM High School Associate Principal

Clinton Verley
Community Member

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