Marcus DeBack Playground
Uptown Neighborhood, Milwaukee
2461 N 55th Street, Milwaukee
Marcus DeBack Playground is another of the playgrounds revitalized by the MKE Plays initiative (along with Arlington Heights Park, Foundation Park, Trowbridge Square, and eight others). The playground is named for the nine year old child who was killed while protecting another child on the playground in 1995.
The park is located on Wright street stretching from 55th to 56th St, just a block south of Lisbon. It offers a nice basketball court that’s almost always in use, grassy space with sidewalks around and through the middle, and a playground area. Street parking is available along both 56th Street and Wright.
Equipment on the playground includes the longest, highest zip line in the Milwaukee area - two people will need to work together to use the full length - which is fun even for much older kids (or adults!), and several different spinning apparatus which can be used individually or by a group of children. There’s also a row of swings including a web swing, two flat-bottomed swings, an infant swing and an accessible swing, along with a climbing structure with slides and a giant spiderweb climber. Tucked in and under both the spiderweb and the play equipment are more swinging options, along with a rope bridge. The spiderweb climber is way more than just a web - it has lots of nooks and perches, varying thicknesses and arrangments of ropes, and stretches quite high.
This playground has something for everyone, from the youngest climbers to older kids. The terrain is wood chips. There are plenty of trees to sit under, plus several picnic tables, and benches. No bathrooms or drinking fountain are available.
