We already have enough strip malls.. how about a skatepark?

Dig up the turf and make it a monument for skateboarding in the USA

Would like to see the developers incorporate The Turf skatepark into the new development.

The Turf was a huge influence on the skateboarding world and transitioned (pun intended) many generations. I would love to see it brought back to its original splendor and maybe even expanded.

The Turf is an historically significant skatepark. Greenfield has the rare opportunity to be on of very few cities that have saved a vintage skatepark. A corporate sponsor like Vans may very well be interested in the park either as a stand-alone or as part of bigger development.

Bring back the turf. Add a skateboard museum. Exit through the gift shop. Milwaukee area has an awesome skateboar legacy and future. Take a
dvantage of it!

Renovating the Turf as a public skatepark and green area would create a tribute to skateboarding that would bring people in from around the world. Any events would easily attract professional skateboarders and would be highly beneficial to many local restaurants, hotels, shops, and very likely bars. This would literally put Greenfield on the map to a large (sub?) culture of the country, a culture that enjoys traveling and skating new places.

SAVE the Turf! Milwaukee county has few FREE public skate parks, but dozens of baseball and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts. Utilizing this land that has amazing history in the local, regional and national skateboard community would create a safe, viable alternative option for skateboarders county wide to hone their skills. Dig up the pools, build a plaza and the City of Greenfield would be creating a destination location for skaters nation wide.

Lets try and avoid office buildings, condos, and senior citizen residences this time. Greenfield has turned down several larger hotels/conference centers in the past forcing them to go to New Berlin and our 27 St border in Milwaukee. Must be a reason other municipalities want them. A hotel/conference center brings in over a million dollars a year in revenue and yet Greenfield keeps pushing them away. We have the luxury of having the interstate and a nearby airport. Lets hope our officials finally make a financially wise decision and allow a hotel/conference center into Greenfield which would bring in tax revenue and help area businesses such as restaurants.

Bring back The Turf! ...And I don't even have any ties to the skater community. I just think it's the right thing to do.

So does everyone want it privately owned or city owned? The reason it no longer exists is because it closed twice due to it not being able to financially exist because not enough people were attracted to it. If it will be privately owned it will have to be run different somehow so another business doesn't fail. If its city owned there will be a lot of money on upkeep and insurance in this time of an incredibly terrible recession. I know I'm in the minority in what to do with the land so just wondering what the plan would be for the skatepark???

I wholeheartedly agree with the above comments regarding the Turf. This is an invaluable piece of history that has been preserved. With the respect and recognition that skateboarding has earned since the time this legendary park closed, its revival could be a real economic boon if planned intelligently.

The park closed at the rise of street skating. The owners tried to adapt by filling in the pools and having an indoor street area. This was ultimately the demise as it took over six months to transition. During that time skaters found other places to skate and then to make matters worse, the new street area really wasn't that great. They closed a year and a half later. Take a look at Delafield, Brookfield, Muskego, Watertown, Verona. They all have free public parks. They have been around for years without any burden on the communities. In fact free park exist all over this country. But only a rare few have the historical significance that The Turf has on skateboarding. If any one is still concerned, I have an idea instead then, lets pave it and put in another tennis court instead ;)

Actually, if it is city owned public skatepark the insurance is the same as any city park. For a city the size of Milwaukee, I'm amazed it doesn't have a decent public skatepark. Take a look at the new Lake Geneva skatepark. For the number of skaters you see in Milwaukee, they should have a place to skate. My vote goes to bringing back the turf and adding to it.

The skatepark is the best use for that property. The worst thing would be a another non-union boxstore like the new Wal-Mart or a boxstore of any kind. Regardles of what the property is eventually used for, the city must make the Loomis side safe for folks who may want to walk to the facility.

Craig, you are 100% right on the advocacy of public free parks. The Milwaukee area has been a nationally renowned place for beautiful public parks including Greenfield's own city parks. The beautiful parks are the brainchild of the great Milwaukee Socialist Charles B. Whitnall. This was the era of the cleanest local government in America. The minute Socialist Mayor Emil Seidel was sworn into office, he got rid of the whorehouses on Edison St, a block from City Hall.

I'd encourage the City of Milwaukee to follow in the footsteps of Portland, and utilize the existing skate park, thus saving millions of dollars from the Parks and Rec budget and providing a necessary (and historically significant) public amenity.

It should be turned into greenspace with wetlands and sustainable rain gardens. No cars should be allowed to enter. A fruitstand with organic items could be set up and beehives to provide honey to the citizens of Greenfield. Oh, and a butterfly habitat, too.

The city has a unique opportunity to preserve part of America's history, skateboarding has grown from a passing fad to a sport that has influence the world, you cannot got back in history and save things you think will be of value later, this park was thankfully saved for us to enjoy again, I think the old park should be saved and some newer modern park features added so it appeals to all. I run a large national skate comp every year and the economical impact for the area each year is around $800,000 for the skateboard tourism that attends the event, I believe the Turf has the potential like no other skate park in America, Todd Harder