The Kosciuszko Park Alliance is comprised of organizations and individuals united by a determination to restore and revitalize Milwaukee’s historic Kosciuszko Park. Established in 2025, the Alliance is committed to addressing the safety concerns and neglect that had discouraged community use in recent years. The 34-acre park, located in Lincoln Village – a vibrant neighborhood shaped by generations of Latino and Polish immigrants – serves as a much-needed refuge of green space in a densely populated area. The park features walking paths, sports fields, a pool, a small lagoon that attracts native waterfowl, and a year-round community center. Grounded in three core pillars – safety, nature, and community engagement – the Alliance organizes events ranging from clean-ups to birdwatching. Its work is reshaping the park’s negative reputation, transforming it into a lively and welcoming recreational space where residents can connect with the natural world and each other.
Wildlife in and around the pond at Kosciuszko Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo: Jenny Bohr Photography
Six nonprofits make up the Alliance, including the Latina-led group Mujeres Con Poder. To avoid working in silos, these organizations joined forces with residents and community officials to collectively address the park’s needs. Early on, the Alliance met with the sheriff’s department to advocate for increased patrols, which has since improved park safety. To draw neighbors back to the park, the Alliance organizes activities like chess games, resource fairs, and birdwatching, with a recent park walk seeing an unexpectedly high turnout of 58 attendees. ‘There’s more activity, more families picnicking, and people are more comfortable letting their kids play,’ says Alliance member Colleen Cheney-Trawinski. Looking ahead, the Alliance aims to continue to highlight the neighborhood’s diversity with a Day of the Dead celebration honoring Mexican heritage, and history walks showcasing the community’s deep Polish roots.
Kosciuszko Park at sunset. Photo: Jenny Bohr Photography