After a long-awaited summer, the construction at Madison Park is finished. However, this is only the beginning. The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) in Lakewood has created a master plan to enhance Madison Park for the upcoming years.
Throughout the past couple of years, Madison Park has been losing popularity because it’s simply outdated. Current park amenities are deteriorating due to their age, and many of the facilities have reached the end of their usable lives. These issues pose dangers to children and need to be addressed.
In order to keep Madison Park as an important gathering hub for the Lakewood community, the DPD conducted a survey and developed its goals based on the community’s input. The department plans to create a park that serves current and future generations through phased renovations, starting with short-term objectives and working their way up to longer-term, more costly projects.
Some may believe that these renovations will ruin the park; however, Michelle Nochta, senior city planner for Lakewood, said, “Our plan isn’t to change the overall layout. We plan to replace a lot of the furnishing[s] and amenities that are reaching the end of their usable life.” These renovations are meant to build a stronger, more connected community and to maintain the safety and usability of the park.
Phase One: Current Endeavors
Phase one of the Madison Park master plan refers to action items that the city is currently working on or has already allocated funds toward. These goals are being accomplished to help build momentum toward other park improvements.
Current projects underway include improvements to the basketball court, installation of electric car charging stations, planting more trees to provide shade throughout the park, upgrading seating, the Birdtown connector, and the farmers market.
The most recent addition to the park is the Birdtown Connector, which features a new path connecting the North and South lots and a pathway linking the park to Halstead Avenue, offering a new entrance that connects it with Birdtown and Harrison Elementary School. This development provides quick access and enhances community accessibility.
Another recent addition this summer was the farmers’ market, which is held every Wednesday and offers farmers, bakers, and artisans a platform to showcase their products. The market aims to strengthen community ties at the park and provides a great opportunity for locals to socialize.
Phase one of the master plan focuses on building local support for renovations.
Phase Two: Goals for the Near Future
Phase two of the plan outlines the goals that he DPD intends to accomplish soon. The phase includes the first major infrastructure improvements, which may temporarily limit park activity. While this could halt visitors temporarily, the new amenities aim to attract more visitors by offering a variety of activities.
These goals are set for one to five years from now. Some short-term goals include constructing a volleyball court, resurfacing the futsal court, updating the playground, and enhancing the baseball field.
The volleyball court will be built on the site of the current smaller play area, creating a separate space for teenagers to gather away from the young children while enjoying the park. The courts are intended to foster community connection by offering a designated area for teens and adults to play.
The futsal courts were added in 2017, replacing the old tennis courts. However, now it’s time for an upgrade. “It’s time to excavate the material that’s there and put in a new smooth material,” Nochta said. This new smooth flooring will help make the court more usable for futsal and will enhance gameplay.
The playground is being updated to meet the community’s needs, with plans to expand its footprint toward the park’s western boundary to add amenities and natural space. The goal is to include features desired by students, such as a fitness course, zipline, gaga pit, suspended tunnels, and a variety of slides.
Phase two is still years away; these high-priority goals will enhance the Madison Park community.
Phase Three: Medium-Term Goals
Phase three of the master plan includes high-priority goals, but they require additional funding and a longer timeframe of six to 10 years. The renovations in this phase demand significantly more infrastructure improvements and funding.
Renovations for phase three include Beck’s Pool redesign, the addition of a splash pad, public art gateways, and the transformation of the soccer field into a multi-use field. These updates aim to enhance the community park by adding popular amenities that will make it more engaging.
Beck’s Pool is scheduled for a redesign in the near future, but the DPD still needs to secure funding. “The pool process at Lakewood park took us about two years, so we expect that timeline to be similar to this pool,” Nochta said. The addition of a splash pad next to the pool will provide a water play area for toddlers.
Transforming the soccer field into a multipurpose space will help support the community by encouraging residents to come to the park and play sports beyond soccer. This upgrade is designed to inspire creativity and enable people to enjoy various games, making the park a versatile place for recreation and community engagement.
Phase Three goals are achievable within the next decade, but the DPD needs funding from the city to accomplish them.
Phase Four: Long-Term Goals
Phase Four includes lower-priority, longer-term goals that require additional planning and funding. These goals are concentrated near the park’s parking lots, minimizing disruption to the park.
Some of these goals include installing a solar canopy in the parking lots, constructing a pump track, and building an outdoor community gathering space. Although lower priority, these projects aim to strengthen the community and provide amenities for park visitors.
The solar canopies would generate clean energy for electric car chargers, helping the environment and providing cheaper electricity for drivers.
The addition of a bike pump is being considered, but it would be costly. While it could provide a space for competitive bikers to ride in the park, some community members might oppose the idea, citing concerns that it could disrupt the peaceful, quiet environment they value.
The Community’s Response
Most of the Lakewood community supports the renovation at Madison Park, with many residents who grew up with the old park excited about the changes. “It definitely will attract more people and even a newer generation of kids going to this park and enjoying new, really cool attractions,” said Lakewood High senior Zach Carnovale.
This renewed focus on the park can help bring people together, which is the DPD’s ultimate goal. While some of these new features may seem minor on the surface, all of these renovations are helping keep the community together.
Regarding the new path being built, Charles Moore, head coach of Lakewood Cross Country and Track, said, “It is a big deal because the way that they built the path, it feeds into the neighborhood, so people can walk up the street that might not have really thought about that as a walking path before, leading them right into the park.”
A major concern within the community is the potential loss of park greenery. “That’s the one thing I would say, if you got a park and you got grass, keep as much of it as you possibly can,” Moore said. While many of these renovations require construction, the park plans to preserve as many fields and areas of grass as possible.
The DPD is hard at work applying for funds and planning for the park. These renovations are going to improve the park and help bring a stronger community together. All of this is to make a safer space and to transform Madison Park into the great community hub it can be.
https://www.countyplanning.us/projects/madison-park-master-plan/
