MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee youth football team and cheerleader squad is fighting to keep the lights on at their practice field after learning the county plans to remove them due to maintenance costs.
The MKE Buccaneers have called Smith Park off Teutonia Avenue home since 2017, when they relocated from another park due to safety concerns.
"This park means a lot. This our park. This our home. When they come here, they feel at home," president and head coach of the MKE Buccaneers, Michael Galloway said.
But that feeling of safety is now threatened as the stadium lights are starting to burn out.
"Slowly but surely, the lights started going out," Galloway said.
Galloway submitted a work order to the Milwaukee County Parks Department toward the end of last season, but was disappointed by the response.
"After they came out and repaired the lights, I received an email that they're gonna remove the lights because it would cost too much," Galloway said.
The county explained that the lights were installed on the city grid years ago for a baseball field that no longer exists.
Watch: 'Save the Lights'; Milwaukee youth football team fights to keep park lights on as county plans removal
Milwaukee County Parks Statement:
"We understand that lighting at Smith Park is an important concern for park users, including families involved with the MKE Buccaneers. The lights in question were originally installed for a baseball field that was removed years ago and were connected to the City of Milwaukee’s lighting system. Over time, many of these fixtures stopped working, and the City was unable to repair them.
Because the lighting no longer served its original purpose and would have required a significant investment to fully replace, Milwaukee County Parks made the difficult decision to remove the non-functional, abandoned lighting for safety and liability reasons.
We recognize the desire for well-lit, accessible spaces, and we’re always open to working with community partners to explore future improvements that align with available resources and community priorities."
Parents and team organizers worry about the impact this will have on the youth program.
"So why punish us for trying to keep crime out the park,"parent coordinator, Raneissa Baker said.
Baker reached out to TMJ4 for help, emphasizing that the lights serve a crucial purpose for the community.
"Are you trying to raise the crime rate for youth or are you want the teams and organizations that's reaching out to the youth to keep them controlled," Baker said.
Currently, the team can practice while daylight lasts, but they fear what will happen when days get shorter in the fall.
"What about the kids that walk to practice. Kids can't walk to McGovern or kids can't walk anywhere else because we have a lot of neighborhood kids," Baker said.
When asked if she would request community support to help fund the lights, Baker was emphatic: "Yes, if anybody donates, talk to the city, talk to the county. We need the lights."
For the MKE Buccaneers, these lights represent much more than just illumination for a youth football league—they're about providing a safe space for neighborhood children.
You can learn more about the MKE Buccaneers here.
You can donate to their fundraiser here.
This story was reported on-air by Megan Lee and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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