Madison Cultural Plan 2011 - City of Madison, Wisconsin

Conceptual drawing of
the Lake Center in the
Nolen Centennial Plan.
was imagined and developed because of the Isthmus area’s uniquely compelling
physical character, framed by lakeshores. The creative sector can become a
leading partner in making Madison a center for sustainable watershed
management and the development of accessible lakefront facilities, natural
spaces, and activities. It is a natural linkage: the environment that feeds creative
inquiry and work should be sustained by those who daily rely on its inspiration.
Additionally, local lakefronts present significant opportunities for the development
of flexible public spaces to support outdoor events, fairs, and festivals; sites for
public art installations; entertainment and dining venues; and gathering spaces for
both the creative community and the general public.
This observation is not new. Several existing plans demonstrate the strength and
consistency of public interest in lakefronts as key resources in defining Madison’s
identity and establishing a healthy, place-based economy.
For example, the draft recommendations for the Downtown Plan call for proposed
paths along both the Lake Mendota and the Lake Monona shorelines and the new
park space on Lake Monona from South Blair Street westward toward Monona
Terrace. It also emphasizes the importance of considering lake vistas in
development and proposes a major beautification project along John Nolen Drive.
The Downtown Design Work Group, a working group of Downtown Madison, Inc.,
contributed significant thinking to the Downtown Plan process in their Design
Visions for the Downtown Plan, which articulates this key goal: “Celebrate
downtown’s Isthmus location by creating new opportunities to access and interact
with the lakes.”
Madison Cultural Plan Findings
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