In a move that spotlights the power of local collaboration, the Milwaukee County Parks has teamed up with the Hales Corners Lions Club to give Hales Corners Park’s pavilion a boost. Supervisor Patti Logsdon recently voiced her support for the initiative, placing the spotlight on the tangible benefits such partnerships can bring to community spaces. According to a Milwaukee County press release, under a year-long Use Agreement, the Hales Corners Lions Club will gain preferential use of the park's pavilion, while also helping to maintain and promote the facility.
According to the Milwaukee County press release, this partnership is set to begin effectively from September 22 and is currently slated to last through September 21, 2026. In the vein of community service, the Lions Club has agreed to not only keep the pavilion well-maintained but also to handle tasks pivotal to its operation - these include scheduling rentals, marketing, cleaning, and minor repairs. "I couldn’t be more excited about this partnership," Supervisor Logsdon was quoted as saying. While ensuring public access is retained, the agreement inherently allows the club to schedule its own events in the pavilion, with the details worked out to also encompass utilities and maintenance, storage improvements, and event coordination, in a relationship that can be described as mutually beneficial.
Under the finer points of the agreement, as Supervisor Logsdon emphasized, the Lions Club, led by President Bob Wolski, will pay an annual fee of $1,500 for utilities in the first year, and will undertake routine janitorial duties for the pavilion and surrounding grounds. The Lions Club will also have the capacity to store equipment on-site, and they have been given the green light to possibly build a secured storage area, provided they have County approval and that the plans align with the Right of Entry permit stipulations. Internet installation is also on the cards for the Lions, at their own expense.
Any scheduled improvements to the building or parkgrounds will need the express written consent of the Parks Department, ensuring that all changes are up to code and within the vision for the pavilion's future. The group is also expected to efficiently coordinate all private rentals of the pavilion. Any external events at the pavilion will have to be planned via the Lions, who will submit a master list of events to Milwaukee County Parks. This endeavor is built upon a foundation of previous community-driven efforts, which most recently included the Lions Club's donation of an all-weather bench at the park—a gesture previously lauded by Supervisor Logsdon as a meaningful symbol of support. The fresh partnership with Milwaukee County Parks is set to extend and deepen that community connection, leveraging local volunteerism to enhance the public space of Hales Corners Park for everyone involved.
