A New Kitchen for a Growing Community: WPCRC's Renovation is Complete

For the northside community, the kitchen at Warner Park Community Recreation Center (WPCRC) has always been more than a place to prepare food — it's where cooking classes happen, where senior meals are served, and where meals for the K.N.O.W. (Kids Need Opportunities at Warner) program come together every week. But that kitchen hadn't been touched since the building was originally constructed in 1999.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, that's changed. Madison Parks Foundation is proud to share that the WPCRC kitchen has undergone a complete renovation, and we'll be celebrating the milestone at WPCRC's Ribbon Cutting & Grand Reopening Celebration on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 1625 Northport Dr. Join us at 10:00 a.m. for the ribbon cutting and remarks, followed by tours, activities, a movie, food trucks, and more through 2:00 p.m.

Why This Renovation Matters

WPCRC recently expanded to welcome more families and youth from across the northside, and the kitchen needed to keep pace. The newly equipped space supports a wider range of programming, from K.N.O.W. to the senior meal program, and will also better accommodate outside caterers serving groups that rent the facility for private events.

What's New

Outfitted with commercial-grade appliances from Kavanaugh's, the kitchen now includes:

• A six-burner electric stove and oven

• Two warming units

• Two large side-by-side refrigerators

• A new dishwashing unit

• Six new induction burners

• New shelving and cookware to fully outfit the space for daily use

We're especially grateful to Kavanaugh's for their generous donation of free installation and the considerable time they spent guiding us through the selection process to ensure we secured the best equipment for this renovation. Their expertise and commitment to our community made this project possible.

Cooking Up New Opportunities

One of the most exciting additions is the set of six new induction burners. Beyond everyday kitchen use, induction technology opens the door to hands-on cooking classes for youth through K.N.O.W. and other area community centers. Because the cooking surface itself doesn't get hot to the touch, induction burners offer a safer environment for teaching young people essential cooking skills.

Thank You

Thank you to Zach Watson, Marquis Sanders, and Chad Norquist of Warner Park Community Recreation Center for their dedication to this project and for helping us understand the center's evolving needs. Their partnership ensured Madison Parks Foundation's gift made the greatest possible impact for the community.

"This kitchen renovation reflects exactly what Madison Parks Foundation exists to do — step in and fill critical gaps where the Parks Division doesn't have the resources," said Stephanie Franklin, President & Executive Director of Madison Parks Foundation. "This space will now serve hundreds of youth and families every week, from cooking classes with K.N.O.W. to senior meals. We're grateful to our donors and partners for making it possible."

Join Us July 8

We'd love to see you at the Ribbon Cutting & Grand Reopening Celebration on Wednesday, July 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 1625 Northport Dr. Come see the new kitchen for yourself, take a tour of the expanded center, and celebrate this milestone with the community it will serve for years to come.