MILWAUKEE— The future of Dyer Field remains in ongoing discussion after community members, city officials, and Pius XI Catholic High School met this week to address concerns about long-term access to the longtime shared athletic space.
For more than 50 years, Pius XI, the City of Milwaukee, and Milwaukee Recreation have jointly used Dyer Field, a key green space within the Honey Creek Parkway neighborhood. But as the school begins a multi-year campus planning effort, residents are pressing for clarity on whether the field will remain open to the community.
In a statement, Pius XI Catholic High School said it “remains grateful” for decades of collaboration and emphasized that its current planning priorities center on students safety, well-being, and the daily learning environment. The school added that it is open to continued conversations with the city, Milwaukee Recreation, and elected officials about the field’s future.
Community members at the community meeting on November 18th, voiced concerns about potentially losing access to a space they say have served families and youth programs for generations. One speaker stressed the community’s stake in any decision involving the parkland.
“I ​don’t ​want ​to ​be ​too ​pejorative, ​but ​it’s ​a ​land ​grab,” Warren Jones, a local neighbor said. “This ​is ​a ​non-taxed ​entity ​that ​wants ​to ​use ​non-taxed ​property. If ​it’s ​restricted ​in ​use ​and ​not ​put ​to ​solid ​public ​use, ​it ​no ​longer ​is ​an ​amenity. ​It ​becomes ​a ​public ​nuisance. ​When ​there’s ​not ​programs ​going ​on ​there ​that ​Pius ​monitors, ​what’s ​it ​going ​to ​be ​used ​for?”
Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius also addressed the meeting, saying the district values transparency and partnership as discussions continue. Another speaker noted that any plan should honor the long history of collaboration around Dyer Field.
“I ​informed ​​Alderwoman ​Moore ​and ​Pius, ​representatives ​that ​MPS ​would ​not ​consider ​a ​new ​lease ​agreement ​for ​Dyer ​Playfield,” Dr. Cassellius said at the meeting. “​I ​further ​went ​on ​to ​explain ​that ​the ​district’s ​Long ​Range ​Facilities ​Master ​Plan ​was ​underway ​and ​that ​the ​Long ​Range ​Facilities ​Master ​Plan ​​is ​designed ​to ​guide ​strategic ​decisions ​regarding ​MPS ​school ​buildings ​and ​outdoor ​spaces, and ​its ​findings ​must ​inform ​any ​future ​land ​use ​commitments.”
The President of Pius XI High School, Jack Herbert, also expressed welcomes the idea of the conversations continuing for Dyer Field with the City.
“I ​want ​to ​be ​unmistakably ​clear ​this ​evening ​that ​this ​commitment ​is ​unwavering,” President Herbert said. ​”Our ​vision ​of ​Dyer ​Field ​has ​always ​and ​will ​always ​place ​community ​access ​at ​the ​forefront. ​Any ​path ​forward will ​prioritize ​an ​upgraded, welcoming ​recreation ​space ​​that ​our ​neighbors, ​our ​students ​and ​the ​broader ​community ​can ​continue ​to ​enjoy ​for ​generations ​to ​come.”
City leaders, including Alderwoman Sharlen Moore, who represent the district, are expected to continue meeting with residents and school officials as planning moves forward.
For now, all parties say they remain committed to a community-centered solution.
Statement from Pius XI High sent to WTMJ:
Pius XI Catholic High School remains grateful for more than five decades of collaboration with the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Recreation regarding shared use of Dyer Field. As an invested member of the Honey Creek Parkway neighborhood, we continue to value the relationships that have supported Pius XI student athletics and community access for so many years.
At this time, the school is embarking on a years-long campus planning effort, the priorities of which are focused on objectives that directly support the safety, wellbeing, and day-to-day learning environment of our students. We remain open to continued conversations with the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Recreation, and our elected representatives regarding the future of Dyer Field.
We will continue to advocate for collaborative, community-centered solutions and look forward to remaining a responsible partner in any future dialogue.
