Warner Park Community Recreation Center Expansion

Latest Update:

10/10/24

The building contractor is mobilizing to the site. The Center will remain open during construction, with project completion anticipated by December 2025.

Urban Design Commission Initial/Final Review

The design team and City staff presented the WPCRC expansion project to the Urban Design Commission for initial/final review on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. The meeting agenda is available on the UDC webpage, located here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/urban-design-commission/3860/

WPCRC expansion project UDC submittal

Public Information Meeting #2

Madison Parks held a public information meeting for the facility expansion project at 6:00 pm on Monday, March 27, 2023. The design team and City staff reviewed the project engagement outcomes, the proposed addition's configuration and exterior treatment, and the anticipated project schedule. Staff and the design team answered attendee questions after the project update. Below is the presentation from the meeting.

WPCRC Expansion Project PIM #2

Urban Design Commission Informational Review

The design team and City staff presented the WPCRC expansion project to the Urban Design Commission for informational review on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. The meeting agenda and notes are available on the UDC webpage, located here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/urban-design-commission/3860/

WPCRC Expansion Project Pre-Design Report

The Pre-Design Report for the expansion project is available for review. Engberg Anderson prepared the report with support from City staff, and the document provides the project's value and goal statements, needs analysis, conceptual building layout, and anticipated project timeline. The report completes the pre-design phase, with the project moving into schematic design.

WPCRC Expansion Project Pre-Design Report

During schematic design, the building massing, floor plan, and interior changes will be developed further, with an updated construction cost estimate. Please send questions or comments on the pre-design report to msturm@cityofmadison.com

Pre-Design Public Engagement

Madison Parks began community engagement for the Warner Park Community Recreation Center expansion project on October 18, 2022. The public outreach involved stakeholder meetings and an online use survey (English, Spanish and Hmong). The outcomes of the stakeholder discussions and survey were presented at a public meeting on November 14, 2022 (below). 

Online survey

The online survey closed on October 31, 2022. The results were shared at the public meeting on November 14.  

Public Information Meeting #1

Parks held a virtual public meeting to present the pre-design community input gathered over the last several months. The presentation slides are available below. The next community meeting is anticipated during the project's schematic design phase.

Warner Park Community Recreation Center
Expansion Project Virtual PIM #1
Monday, November 14, 2022, @ 6 pm
Meeting Presentation Slides

Project Scope

The City of Madison Parks Division recently began public engagement for the expansion of the Warner Park Community Recreation Center. Community use of the facility has consistently increased over several decades. Given current space limitations, the Center is at its operational capacity with little to no room for additional indoor programming.

Parks is working on the building expansion with Engineering Facilities Management and a multidisciplinary consultant team led by Engberg Anderson Architects. The project’s focus is an 8,400 sf +/- addition to offer expanded space for community events and programming. The Parks Division’s capital improvement plan identifies $5M for the construction of the addition in 2024. The funding request is within current City and Parks resources and establishes the project budget for the expansion’s design.

Parks has received feedback that there is a desire for a community pool at Warner Park. While we hear that this is of interest, the construction of a twelve-month aquatic facility likely exceeds $14 M based on estimates from 2015. In today’s costs, it is likely that the aquatics facility cost would be in the 20M range with inflation. Combined with the associated operating costs, a pool facility is beyond the City’s funding and operational capacity. Based on the financial reality of today’s situation, we will remain focused on the expansion project as it is financially feasible and desperately needed. Because of that feedback and interest, we are committed to ensuring that the current project does not limit the option for a potential pool facility in Warner Park in the future.

Parks looks forward to working with the surrounding neighborhoods and project stakeholders in the coming months. The next steps in the process are completing the initial stakeholder meetings, compiling the online survey results, and presenting the input received at a November 14th public information meeting. If you have not yet given your opinion, you can fill out the community survey here until October 31st.

Project Overview

This project consists of public engagement and the design and construction of an expansion to the existing Warner Park Community Recreation Center building located at 1625 Northport Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53704. The building is located in Warner Park near Northport Drive and the Mallards Ballpark. 

In 2015, Parks led a community-wide envisioning session for future improvements to Warner Park and the community center. Engagement outcomes focused on expanding the facility for additional community and event programming space.

2015 Community Engagement Summary

In 2017, Parks worked with an architectural team to assess the existing building and explore expansion opportunities. The study provided multiple expansion options, including the potential addition of a second gymnasium. Based on an evaluation of current needs at the center, this is the recommended direction by Parks. With support from Facility Management and the consultant team, Parks will review the gymnasium option during the coming community engagement work later this year. We look forward to working with policymakers, community partners, and visitors to the center on this exciting project.

2017 WPCRC Facility Expansion Study

City Process

Additional project information is available on the Engineering project website: Warner Park Community Recreation Center Expansion.