A campus alumni group will fund a project to enhance the lakefront along Lake Mendota for students, alumni and the Madison community to use.
The space, dubbed Alumni Park, will connect the space between the Red Gym and Memorial Union to Lake Mendota and Library Mall across Langdon Street, and will be entirely funded by the Wisconsin Alumni Association to commemorate the organization’s 150-year anniversary.
WAA President Paula Bonner said the board had been thinking of a gift to give to the University of Wisconsin campus as part of their year-long anniversary celebration.
“Our board and a number of alumni leaders have been thinking about what might be the proper visionary gift from alumni back to campus as part of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Wisconsin Alumni Association,” said Bonner.
The decision to make Alumni Park the group’s gift was a long process that began several years ago, Bonner said. The entire process has included feedback from students and the community to ensure the park is beneficial to the campus landscape.
“One of our first things was to have a focus group of students, alumni and people within the community to think about what would really be special,” said Bonner.
The park will be an $8 million project and will complete the east campus master plan included in UW’s 2011-13 budget, according to a statement from UW.
In addition to improving the area between the Memorial Union and Red Gym, Bonner said Alumni Park would improve lake access with a pier and lakefront space.
The park will also serve to educate those using it by telling the stories of prominent alumni, the statement said.
Bonner said this will be the last addition to the park, as WAA is just now putting together a committee to decide which key stories to use.
She added the group is extremely excited to be able to add the park to the campus landscape.
“We’re adding a spectacular destination spot to campus full of green space, which is good for the environment and really helps tell a great story for UW,” said Bonner.
