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Resident proposes $8M three-phase overhaul of Cahill Park, pledges $1M toward plan
Summary
Resident and Little League volunteer Andy Burkholtz told the Whitefish Bay Village Board he has $1 million in firm pledges and a three‑phase plan to convert the warming house into a community center, flip and turf the baseball field, and upgrade tennis courts. Trustees asked staff for further CIP and drainage analysis before committing village funds.
Andy Burkholtz, a Whitefish Bay business owner and longtime Little League volunteer, presented a three‑phase public‑private plan to overhaul Cahill Park, telling trustees he has already secured about $1 million in firm pledges.
Burkholtz described phase one as converting the existing warming house footprint into roughly an 8,000‑square‑foot community or civic center with multi‑use indoor space, improved voting and rental rooms, concessions and added storage. Phase two would flip the baseball field and install turf to reduce maintenance and move play away from nearby houses; phase three would reconfigure the tennis courts and add flexible green space. “To this point and as it is right now on the 21st of April, we have $1 million in firm pledges already dedicated,” Burkholtz said in presenting contractor renderings and budgets.
Why it matters: Trustees said the proposal would fill a shortage of indoor and high‑quality outdoor recreation space for youth sports and community events in the Northshore area, but they also flagged tradeoffs with infrastructure needs. The board must weigh the village’s long‑term capital improvement priorities — sewer, stormwater, road and other maintenance — against a major park project that could require borrowing.
What trustees asked for: Several trustees pressed Burkholtz and staff on drainage and the retention‑pond function of the baseball field, effects on flood management, scheduling for school and community use, lighting and whether tax‑exempt or nonprofit partners would run programming. Village staff emphasized the stormwater role of the existing field, warning that any regrading would need to preserve overflow capacity. Trustees also sought a clear fundraising threshold before the village commits municipal borrowing.
Costs and timetable: Burkholtz shared two contractor quotes and an aggregate estimate he said was about $8 million total (presented as roughly $4 million for phase one, $2.5 million for phase two and $1.5 million for phase three). He asked the board for a year of aligned fundraising and proposed an 18–24 month horizon to break ground if the village signals support; staff noted municipal borrowing cycles and CIP schedules could push bidding into 2027–2028 timelines.
Community response: Representatives of the Whitefish Bay Little League, Junior Dukes and the school district’s facilities advisory committee spoke in favor of improvements, citing limited green space and the benefit to hundreds of families. Some nearby residents and trustees urged caution about the scale of the project and potential impacts on adjacent yards, parking and stormwater function.
Next steps: Trustees generally expressed interest in continued study but did not authorize village construction funding. Staff will analyze drainage, CIP tradeoffs and detailed cost estimates during upcoming CIP work this spring and summer and return with more information. Burkholtz said he would continue fundraising and partner development as the board considers the proposal.
