Madison Parks

Heading to the beach? Here's what you need to know:

🏊Swim Ropes
Available through Labor Day at BB Clarke, Bernie's, Esther, Olbrich, Spring Harbor, Tenney (pictured), Vilas and Warner. No lifeguards are on duty.

♿Accessibility
Beach accessibility improvements were made in partnership with the Madison Parks Foundation. These accessible pathways are for everyone. Please be courteous and give priority to those who need them most.
•Accessible beach mats: Bernie's and Vilas beaches
•Paved path and beach mat: Esther, Tenney and Warner beaches

💧Water Quality Testing
Public Health Madison & Dane County tests the water quality at designated beaches. They test for E. coli bacteria and blue-green algae and their toxins to protect swimmers and other recreational water users. Closed water does not mean the beach (sandy area) or park are closed. Results may be found on their website. publichealthmdc.com/home-environment/beaches

A few more tips and rules:
⛔Dogs are NOT allowed on the sand or in the roped swim area.
⛔Fishing is not allowed in the swimming area.
⛔Boats are not allowed in the swimming area.

For the map of locations, and full list of tips and rules, visit:
cityofmadison.com/parks/beach/

Come to The Glen patio tonight - Friday, August 7 to listen to acoustic guitarist and singer, Vince Sweeney! Sweeney plays a great blend of cover songs that everyone will enjoy🎶

GolfMadisonParks.com

Great events like these are free to attend, open to all and made possible thanks to generous donors through the Madison Parks Foundation.

‼️Olin Park Boat Launch Closed Saturday, August 8. Due to a permitted special event, the Olin Park boat launch will be closed on Saturday, August 8. The ramp will reopen at 4:00am on Sunday, August 9.

See website for other locations
cityofmadison.com/parks/boatlaunch

We’re seeking entrepreneurs, groups, nonprofit organizations and businesses with creative ideas that can activate parks and positively enhance visitors’ experiences. Check out the Recreational Services and Placemaking Request for Proposals on VendorNet and on DemandStar. The deadline to submit proposals is September 1, 2026.

Do you have a creative concept that can help make your parks more vibrant, welcoming and engaging? We want to hear from you! Let's build something together.

Get all the details with links to apply at cityofmadison.com/parks/blog or directly at
cityofmadison.com/parks/blog/2026-06-24/help-us-bring-more-life-to-madisons-parks

Photo Credit: Chelle Fernandez Yang

Due to low attendance and cool temperatures, Goodman Pool will be closed for the rest of recreation open swim on Wednesday, August 5. We will be open for MSCR Aqua Fitness and Swim Lessons on Thursday, August 6.

Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Pool Welcome to the Goodman Pool! 2026 Season: Thursday, June 11 - Sunday, August 23Complete the Pool Waiver before your first visit!

Door Creek Park pavilion received a new feature this week! Thanks to Ellie Meng of Girl Scout Troop #7889, in collaboration with Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance(SoWBA) and Madison Parks, a window treatment was applied to prevent birds from colliding with glass.

Meng first connected with Brenna Marsicek, SoWBA’s director of outreach and coordinator for the Bird Collision Corps (BCC) program, in April 2025. As part of her Girl Scout Gold Award Project, Meng has been monitoring sites with BCC and encouraging plans for window treatments. She was directly involved in collaborating with the Dane County Humane Society’s team to help install treatments beginning in summer 2025.

BCC is a Madison-based, volunteer-supported community science program that began in 2018 to study the factors that lead to bird deaths caused by window strikes. The data gathered by the program has influenced bird-safe glass ordinances in both Madison and Middleton.

Door Creek Park’s pavilion opened in summer 2025 and features floor-to-ceiling windows on the north and south side of the building and was added as a BCC monitoring site in spring 2026. BCC volunteers found a disproportionately high number of collisions, likely because of the arrangement of windows and the excellent bird habitat nearby. Upon learning about this conflict, the Madison Parks Division was eager to take action.

To support the new window treatments installation, Meng and her troop contributed $800 to cover half of the cost of the treatment, with Madison Parks covering the remaining amount. SoWBA coordinated the installation process the week of August 3. The window treatment selected has shown to reduce collisions by 95% in most cases.

The Door Creek Park pavilion will be monitored this fall to assess the effectiveness of the window treatment. The next season of Bird Collision Corps will run from September 1 through October 31. For more information about the project or to join as a volunteer, visit swibirds.org/bcc.

Photos 1-2 volunteers and Parks staff install window dots
Photo 3 - Door Creek Park pavilion side entrance - before
Photo 4 - Door Creek Park pavilion side entrance - after dot installation

Photos: Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

Ride the Drive 2026 Canceled
"After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Ride the Drive scheduled for Sunday, August 9. We know many community members were looking forward to the event and we share this disappointment. Canceling Ride the Drive was not a decision we made lightly. Decisions like this are never easy, especially an event that brings people together. While the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin streets is now open, we believe holding Ride the Drive would continue to disrupt the neighborhood and businesses. We appreciate everyone's understanding, and most importantly, the continued resilience of the neighborhood and city."
— Eric Knepp, Madison Parks Superintendent

Temporary Closure Notice: Due to a permitted special event, the Olin Park boat launch will be closed on Saturday, August 8. The ramp will reopen at 4:00am on Sunday, August 9.

See website for other locations
cityofmadison.com/parks/boatlaunch

💥Native Plant Feature: Michigan Lily🧡💞

Michigan Lily or Lilium michiganense is a native Wisconsin lily that grows in sunny sites with wet soils. Its flowers dangle upside down and has vibrant red and orange petals. The petals curve strongly backwards, distinguishing it from other lilies like day lily and ornamentals.

❓What are some other facts about it?

🌹Its bloom time is actually right now (Early to Late July) and can be seen at North Cherokee Conservation Park.

💬People may use the name Turk's Cap Lily and Michigan Lily interchangeably but they are unique species.

🏠It is great to plant at home paired with Turtlehead and Joe Pye W**d, although watch out for similar looking garden variety's that aren't native.

🐦 It is a great food source for birds, mammals, and pollinators. Although chipmunks like to eat the bulbs a little too much.

Photos 1, 2, 3, & 4 Michigan Lily