Moments Worth Celebrating

The installation marks a first for the city—a public space dedicated to commemorating the four-legged family members who have touched so many lives. "This is the first of its kind in the city," said Pierce Sullivan, a board member of the Madison Parks Foundation, the organization that donated the custom sculpture. 

This wasn't just another ribbon-cutting ceremony. It was a milestone in our ongoing commitment to ensure that all 295+ parks in Madison's system are welcoming and accessible to everyone in our community. 

The McPike Park dedication ceremony took place in April 2018 to officially rename Madison's Central Park to McPike Park in honor of Milton McPike. McPike was the principal of East High School from 1979 to 2002, and the dedication celebrated his legacy as a beloved and influential educator in the community. 

When the Madison Parks Foundation received a $750,000 donation to renovate the aging golf course, the vision extended far beyond replacing divots and updating fairways. The goal? Reimagine what a public golf space could be. 

This summer, that magic became accessible to even more families in Madison with the opening of a brand new water sprayground at the Jeff Erlanger Playground at Rennebohm Park.

Inspired by the Frautschi’s gift, and by Jeff Erlanger’s legacy, the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation has also now stepped up with $100,000 to help build an accessible playground at Oscar Rennebohm Park on Madison’s West Side in 2022. That accessible playground will be named after Jeff Erlanger.

the Madison Parks Foundation has been awarded a $94,000 grant from 100 Men of Dane County to support the “Kids Need Opportunities at Warner (K.N.O.W.)” program at Warner Park Community Recreation Center.