Wick Field

Wick Playfield renovations are adding new life to the neighborhood

Milwaukee Recreation's Wick Field, or Wick Playfield, got a major renovation and had a grand reopening in 2025. Millions of dollars went to revitalizing the park, improving its baseball diamonds and playgrounds, and adding new features, including basketball courts, a splash pad and new walking trails. "It's a draw to the neighborhood, especially with it getting a renovation," Balderas says. "It just shows that the city, the neighbors and people in general are focused on it and looking at it." He continues that, because of the money being poured into the area, home values are likely to go up. "Parks add value," he says. "If you're across the street from a park, that's a huge plus, especially in neighborhoods where yards are small."

Residents build community through local events

"Walking through the neighborhood gives me a warm feeling," Christenson says. "It's its own little community, and the houses are in great condition. People take care of their properties and yards." There's a strong sense of community in the area, partially because of its size, and because of regular events and ways for the residents to get together nearby:

• The Washington Heights Neighborhood Association hosts events like rummage sales and an Easter egg hunt.
• Wick Playfield is where runners start and finish their Annual Run Back to School race.
• The park is also home to the Kick or Treat Halloween kickball tournament, where costumes are encouraged.
• West Vliet Street has annual festivals, including the Art Walk and Bastille Day West.

Shopping, dining and amenities on Vliet Street

West Vliet Street is lined with locally owned businesses, including restaurants, bars, florists and boutique stores. Established in 1945, Caradaro Club Pizza is one of the oldest operating pizzerias in town and perhaps the hardest to miss, with its giant teacup and saucer wedged into the roof. Walk about a quarter mile west to Rainbow Booksellers, a children's bookstore with young adult classics and new releases from local writers. Painted on the brick side of the building, a three-dimensional mural makes those walking by look like a trinket between the books on a giant's bookshelf. Metro Market, Metcalfe's Market and Outpost Natural Foods grocery stores are less than two miles west on State Street.

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Wick Field children can attend schools in Wauwatosa

Wisconsin has a statewide open enrollment program, allowing students to attend any public school of their choice, not just those in their district. Many parents choose to send their children across the city border into Wauwatosa to attend Washington Elementary School, Longfellow Middle School and East High School, all of which receive high scores. Parents who wish to keep their young students within walking distance often choose Neeskara Elementary School in Washington Heights or Hawley Environmental School in Story Hill.

Wick Field is free from traffic but easy to get around

Wick Field is well-connected to the surrounding area, but it is not busy itself. "The only people driving through are those who live there," Christenson says. "No one is using the residential part of the neighborhood to get from point A to point B." Getting around is easy, thanks to:

• Bike lanes on North Hawley Road and West Vliet Street
• Milwaukee County Transit Buses that stop on Vliet and State streets
• On and off-ramps to Route 175, which connects to Interstate 94
• Well-maintained sidewalks and crosswalks across any main roads