"I am thrilled that this grant will be used to rebuild Gordon Park and make it a place where the community can come together and children can play in a safe environment," Barrett said.

"This grant will greatly assist Milwaukee County as it continues to renovate Gordon Park and offer the kinds of amenities that residents are asking for," Milwaukee County Executive Thomas Ament said.

Gordon Park is one of only 14 recipients nationwide of these grant funds awarded through the Department of Interior's Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program. The program provides matching grants and technical assistance to economically distressed urban communities. The program awarded 1200 grants, totaling almost $228 million from 1978 to 1995, but was not funded after 1995 until this year.

Congress voted to pass $652 million for President Clinton's Lands Legacy initiative, to help protect wildlife, acquire land, renovate urban parks and forests, and to protect forests, wetlands and farmlands.

"Renovating parks and lands in our city is an important step toward strengthening communities throughout Milwaukee," Barrett said. "This investment in Gordon Park will bring many returns in the smiles of children and their families."