A volunteer group has launched a campaign to build Milwaukee’s first universally accessible and inclusive playground, named “Stella’s Playground,” at Kilbourn Reservoir Park in the Riverwest neighborhood.
The initiative was inspired by 9-year-old Stella Schneider, who is battling a cancerous brain tumor, diagnosed in 2023. After visiting her neighborhood park, Stella remarked, “This park is not for me,” highlighting the lack of accessible playground options in the city, according to a release.
“We can’t fix everything for her. We don’t have that magic wand that we’ve been looking for this whole time. But this is something we can fix. This is something we can do,” said Stella’s mom, Rese Schneider. “We can build a playground that is inspired by Stella.”
The campaign officially launched on Wednesday, May 7, which is also Stella’s 9th birthday, with an event at Kilbourn Reservoir Park, located at 2230 N Bremen Street.
The park holds a special place for the Schneider family—especially Stella and Rese, who have “spent evenings racing to the playground, trying to catch the sunset.”
The family is hoping to raise $2 million to rebuild the park and hopes to break ground in 2026…