May 2012

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Check out the list of upcoming Madison Parks Events

• Ride the Drive-Downtown- June 3

• Elver Park Fireworks- July 3, 2012

• Madison Parks Night at the Duck Pond- July 16

• Movie Night at the Pool- July 13,

• Kids to Kids Garage Sale- Aug 4

•Ride the Drive-Northside- Aug 12

• Fall Festival featuring Big Rig Gig- September TBA

The Madison Mallards, Madison Parks, and West Bend present the

Remarkable Rubber Ducky River Race• Date: Saturday, May 19, 2012; Noon – 2 p.m.

• Tenney Park, 402 N. Thornton Ave. and Yahara River

• Prices: $2/one duck or $10/six ducks

• Event website: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/celebrate/ducky.cfm

• To purchase your ducks in advance: www.mallardsbaseball.com

The Madison Mallards Baseball Club, Madison Parks, the Madison Parks Foundation, and West Bend are teaming up for the 4th annual Remarkable Rubber Ducky River Race at Tenney Park on the Yahara River. The fun-filled event will be held on May 19 from Noon – 2 p.m. and all proceeds of the event will benefit the Goodman Pool Scholarship Fund.

You may purchase Rubber Ducks in advance online at Mallardsbaseball.com or on the day of the event. There will be a limited number of Rubber Ducks available so we encourage event-goers to get there as early as possible or to pre-purchase. All age groups are welcome to participate. The first 500 participants will also receive a Rubber Duck as a keepsake from the event. The grand prize for the winner of the race will be a party for 20 at the “Duck Pond” in the new Home Plate club Seats on Opening Day (May 30) including the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, 20 great seats for the game. The grand prize winner will also have the opportunity to receive an additional $1,000 in cash if he/she purchases optional insurance for their duck(s) courtesy of West Bend.

“The proceeds of the Rubber Ducky River Race have provided over 180 kids scholarships for swimming lessons at Goodman Pool.” says Kevin Briski, Madison Parks Superintendent. “Madison Parks thanks the Mallards and West Bend for their support of this event and of the scholarship fund.”

In addition to the Remarkable Rubber Ducky Race, Mallards mascot Maynard G. Mallard will be on-hand to greet fans, and kids and parents can test their skills with the Speed Pitch, T-Ball Game, Baggo Tournament, and other games.

May 19 12-2 PMTenney Park

Goodman Pool Scholarships supported by many community organizations

Kids Swimming For Kids is the cornerstone of the Shelley Glover Sports Education Foundation’s (SGSEF) fundraising efforts within the swim community. Each summer over 500 children from area pools and swim clubs participate in swim –a-thons at their pools to raise money that provides scholarships for swim lessons, swim team memberships, and pool memberships for children and families who attend the Goodman Pool. Kids collect pledges and donations and swim as many lengths as they can during their allotted practice time.

This event has become a tradition within the Madison swim community and truly resonates with the young participants who want to make sure all children can experience the joys of summer swimming, as well as the health and safety benefits it brings.

This summer seven area pools/swim teams and over 500 swimmers will participate in Kids Swimming for Kids. Each year KSK raises approximately $12,000 over the course of the summer, and we are looking forward to another fun summer of Kids Swimming for Kids!

Goodman Pool Lesson & Swim Team Registration now OPEN! www.cityofmadison.com/parks/pool

This great early spring warm weather we are having makes us realize that we are even closer

to the hot summer and fun at Goodman Pool. Get

a jump start on summer and register for swimming lessons at Madison Parks Goodman Pool. Dive in! They fill up fast!

Madison Parks Goodman Pool offers Learn to Swim classes. Lessons are available for swimmers of all ages and abilities, and are taught by highly qualified, WSI certified staff. Scholarships are available for Goodman Pool lessons, swim team and passes.

Goodman Pool Waves SWIM TEAM! Last year we launched a highly successful Goodman Pool Waves-an All-City competitive swim team for kids ages 6-18. Sign your child up for this fantastic team! Don’t miss out on the fun!

Birthday SplashBashLet Goodman Pool and Gilbert the Goodman Guppy help you host a Splash-tacular Birthday - You bring the kids – we’ll supply the fun!

Because a pool party is just more fun!

Waves + Rowing Summer CampMadison Parks is proud to partner with the

Camp Rowing Club for a unique program that pairs the teamwork of swim team with the exciting sport of rowing. Members of the Goodman Pool Waves are invited to participate in this fun-filled water adventure.

Open to members of the Goodman Pool Waves. After daily swim team practice, and their own sack lunch, a bus will pick up the students at Goodman Pool, transport them to Brittingham Park where highly qualified coaches await to teach them the exciting sport of rowing. After rowing lessons, a bus will transport the student back to Goodman Pool by 2:45p.m.

The Details

• Ages: students entering 6th-8th grade

• Cost: $65/student per week

o Session 1A - June 25 - 29 @ 1-2:30 p.m.

o Session 1B - July 16 - 20 @ 1-2:30 p.m.

o Session 1C - July 23 - 27 @ 1-2:30 p.m.

• Scholarships Available

www.cityofmadison.com/parks/pool for more infomration

Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros May 11, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. & May 12, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

NEW! Expanded Public Sale Open Friday & Saturday!

Get great plants and expert advice from area professionals at Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros. New for 2012 – an expanded public sale is open on Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find great plants and support a local non-profit organization.

Get the same great plants used at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, along with expert landscape design and garden advice from area professionals, at Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros. “This event is a great opportunity for gardening enthusiasts to share in the wealth of knowledge from all of the Olbrich horticulturists and staff. They order what they use and like, so we all benefit,” says Pat Saiki, ASLA, of Ken Saiki Design.

During the sale, have a container garden designed and planted on the spot by an Olbrich pro at the Pro Potting Bench. (Bring your own pot, or purchase a container at the sale.) Then get tips for a troublesome landscape area at the Design Station and take home a basic sketch to solve your problem.

You can even drop off your dull garden tools at the Wisconsin Cutlery booth at the Plant Sale, then pick them up at their store in a few weeks good as new!

If you want first crack at the widest selection of plants, take advantage of the new Early Bird Shopping opportunity. For a $20 per person (or $30 per couple) donation to support the Gardens, you can

Shop from 10 to 11 a.m. before the sale opens to the public.

Become an Olbrich member right at the sale and get some additional benefits. Members receive a free Fiskars Softouch® Micro-tip® Pruning Snip and a free bag of Olbrich Leaf Mulch, plus a 20% discount in the Growing Gifts shop on Friday.

If you’ve been busy in your gardens dividing perennials, donate your extra plants and ornamental grasses to the sale. These plants will be sold at the Plant Sale to raise funds for the Gardens. The

designated plant drop-off day is Saturday May 5 from 9:30 to noon.

All proceeds from this major annual fundraiser directly support Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison’s free public garden.

Mother’s Day Concert at Olbrich Botanical Gardens

Sunday, May 13 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Celebrate this Mother’s Day by enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of spring while strolling through the outdoor Gardens at Olbrich Botanical Gardens and taking in the lush tropics of the Bolz Conservatory! After exploring the Gardens, settle in for a Mother’s Day Concert by the New Horizons Concert Band. The band includes more than 60 members and plays everything from traditional classical music to marches, Broadway hits, and movie themes.

Suggested admission donation for the concert is $1.

Mallards to Unveil Meriter & Physicians Plus Backyard at Ribbon Cutting on May 23rd

The grass sod has been installed in the brand new Meriter & Physicians Plus Backyard and the Mallards plan to introduce the Backyard on Wednesday, May 23rd at 4:00 pm.

The Meriter & Physicians Plus Backyard is the newest addition for Mallards fans to view the game. Designed for families and children to sit on the grass and watch the game, it will hold 400-500 fans. The Backyard is a 6,000 square foot grass berm that is located behind the left-center field wall.

The Mallards, Meriter & Physicians plus have also turned the Meriter & Physicians Plus Backyard into a way to give back to the community. The Backyard will cost $8 per person, and $1 of every ticket sold will be donated to the Madison Parks Foundation, the YMCA of Dane County, and the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County.

Families are encouraged to bring their blankets to sit on as they take in the game from the outfield. Fans with Meriter & Physicians Plus Backyard tickets will have access to the rest of the stadium for concessions and restrooms. Every fan with a ticket inside the stadium is also allowed to go into the Backyard to try the new area, based on availability.

“The experience of a Mallards game has always been centered around families,” said Mallards President Vern Stenman. “The addition of the Meriter & Physician's Plus Backyard continues to strengthen our focus and commitment to providing a venue that appeals to families, while helping support other groups that share the same mission.”

The Mallards will hold an open house and ribbon cutting on May 23rd at 4:00 pm to introduce the Meriter & Physicians Plus Backyard. Fans are encouraged to attend, and the Mallards will provide free ballpark food and soda for all who attend. The Boys & Girls Club of Dane County will be bringing a group of kids out to enjoy the Backyard for the first time.

The 2012 season is upon us! Single-game tickets are on-sale for all Mallards home games!

The Mallards will host their season opener against the Battle Creek Bombers on May 30th at 7:05 pm at the "Duck Pond." 7-Game Packs, season, and group tickets are on sale now!

Free B-cycle during Bike to Work Week

Madison B-cycle, the city’s bike sharing program, is excited to announce that it will be offering free B-cycle trips during the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation’s Bike to Work Week, May 14th through 18th. The promotion is timed during Madison’s busiest bicycle commuting week of the year. Free B-cycles will provide easy access to two-wheeled transportation in hopes of getting more people riding bikes for short trips in and around Madison’s downtown. The cost of a 24-hour membership will be waived at all of the 27 B-cycle kiosks during the week, making all trips lasting less than thirty minutes free to all.

“Bike to Work Week is the perfect chance to try out B-cycle, even if you’re not using it for your morning or evening commute,” noted Claire Hurley, Madison B-cycle Manager. “It’s a great way to try out new restaurants people wouldn’t have time to walk to on a lunch break, or just to get out and stretch the legs during the day or after work.”

In addition to free access to the program, Madison B-cycle is hosting a commuter support station the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of Bike to Work Week where the Southwest Commuter Corridor intersects Regent Street, Breese Terrace, and Monroe Street. Bike commuters can get an overview of the B-cycle program while enjoying complimentary coffee and bagels. The Madison B-cycle-sponsored commuter support station will be one of many around Madison, organized by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.

Mark Your Calendar for “Madison Parks Day” at the Duck Pond

July 16, 7:05p.m.

Water Games, Parks Trivia - a night full of great fun for fans of Madison Parks!

Keep your eye out for more inforamtion to come!

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Madison Parks Forestry Launches new Heritage Tree Program to Celebrate Madison Arbor Legacy

Some trees have stood watch over lives and events that represent the fabric of our city. Madison is fortunate to have a rich and colorful historic heritage. To foster appreciation and inspire awareness of the contribution of city owned street trees and park trees to the City’s history and heritage, Madison Parks Forestry is launching a Heritage Tree Program. The program is a way for citizens to officially recognize special and significant city owned trees in the community.

The goals of the Heritage Tree Program are:

• to recognize and designate individual city owned trees or groves of significance

• to educate and inform the public about the value and history of city owned trees

• to promote appreciation of the city owned trees

• to maintain and protect these trees as part of the City’s heritage

Communities across the country at a local, state and national level enact Heritage Tree Programs to grant trees special status for their age, size, type or historical association.

“For a city like Madison, this kind of program is a perfect fit. Our parks and streets are filled with historic, natural landmarks,” said Kevin Briski, Madison Parks Superintendent. “This is our way of recognizing and celebrating them.”

Madison’s healthy and valuable trees are a living and distinct resource for the Madison community and now, trees can be nominated together or separately to receive this special status.

Each year up to 5 nominated trees will be selected. Heritage Trees will be announced during the Arbor Week celebration and posted on the website. Excellent candidates for the program will be healthy trees of exceptional size, form or rarity. They may carry historic or community significance.

For more information and nomination forms please visit:

http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/services/forestry/HeritageTree.cfm

Volunteer Opportunities for the June 3rd Ride the Drive are now available. Help make the event a success; volunteer! Sign Up Today: http://www.cityofmadison.com/ridethedrive/volunteer.cfm

Ride the Drive is a free community event that turns Madison’s signature streets into a public promenade that is open to bikers, walkers, rollerbladers, and those out to share in the experience and fun atmosphere. These popular events have drawn over 20,000 families, friends, and recreation enthusiasts. Ride the Drive is more than just closed streets, it is a festival on wheels with music, activities, food and fun stopping points along the route. The routes will feature five mile loops of Madison’s signature streets. There is no beginning or ending point of the route; participants enter at any point along the 5 miles.

Ride the Drive -Downtown, June 3, 10am-3pm

This signature event will feature a five mile loop that includes John Nolen Drive, the Capitol Square and State Street. The route features “villages” with fun activities, food and music in various stopping points including Brittingham Park, the tunnel under Monona Terrace and the Capitol Square.

Ride the Drive - Northside, August 12, 10am-3pm

In addition to the downtown event, the Northside has been chosen to be the first neighborhood location and is a great opportunity to showcase another area of town. Ride the Drive - Northside will have the traditional Ride the Drive elements but will also have a block party atmosphere and will provide the Northside the chance to show off their streets, parks, businesses, neighborhoods, and welcoming small town vibe. Ride the Drive-Northside will include streets and areas such as Sherman Avenue, Warner Park, and Troy Drive.

For up to date event information, visit

www.cityofmadison.com/ridethedrive.

For Joe Goss, volunteering with Madison Parks for Ride the Drive was his chance to make a difference in the community. “Taking back the roads from vehicles—even for a day—seemed so revolutionary!” Goss said. “I am helping people realize they don’t need a car for a trip to the store or as a way to get to work.” Involved with the event since 2010, Goss works as a bike ambassador each year. As such, he looks for route hazards, checks with area captains for tasks and delivers food and water to those volunteering as intersection guides. “Happily, I spend most of my time riding,” Goss added. Already an avid cyclist, Goss bikes from his home in Sun Prairie to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus each day, where he works as an analyst and project manager. “Last year I commuted nearly 3,000 miles, largely on bike lanes along East Washington Avenue,” Goss said. By volunteering with Ride the Drive, Goss hopes to help his neighbors have fun and engage with one another. “Ride the Drive is a great way for everyone to have a blast! Participants bring creative bikes, outrageous costumes and over-the-top positive attitudes to the event,” Goss said. “Our ability to have fun as a community is limited only by our imagination.” For Goss, that ability to have fun is reliant on citizens’ willingness to get involved. “We need volunteers to make Ride the Drive possible,” he said. “I encourage anyone who recognizes the importance of this event to volunteer for shift.”

VISION:To provide the ideal system of parks, natural resources and recreation opportunities which will enhance the quality of life for everyone.

PARKS DIVISION210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Ste. 104P.O. Box 2987Madison, WI 53701(608) 266-4711www.cityofmadison.com/parks

MADISON MAYORPaul Soglin

MADISON PARKS SUPERINTENDENT:Kevin Briski

MADISON PARK COMMISSIONERS:Bill BarkerEmanuelScarbroughDavid WallnerMadelyn LeopoldNancy RaglandAlder Mark ClearAlder Joe Clausius

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Wisconsin Bat Festival at Warner ParkSaturday, May 12, 9a.m. – 4p.m.$10 adult/children free with paying adult

Bats make good moms! Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend by honoring another good mom – the bat! Live bat programs, children’s activities, exhibits and much more! Meet live bats from around the world and visit with Wisconsin’s backyard bats. Come face to face with fruit bats from Africa and Asia, a Vampire Bat, and encounter the largest bat in the world, the gigantic Malayan Flying Fox which has nearly a 6-foot wingspan!

For more information, visit: http://wiatri.net/inventory/bats/batfest.cfm

Featuring LIVE bats from around the world!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Bring your best battitude!

All proceeds benefit the Wisconsin Bat Conservation FundFor detailed information visit http://wiatri.net/inventory/bats

On Mother’s Day weekend—don’t forget, bats are great mothers, too!

Live bat programs, children’s activities, exhibits, gift shop,

and more!

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

Events and Activities 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.$10/adult (16+)

Kids FREE with paying adult

Food & beverages available

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Warner Park CommunityRecreation Center, MADISON

Madison Parks WatchMay14,6:30p.m.

To better protect our community’s beautiful park system, in 2008 Madison Parks and Madison Police launched a Parks Watch initiative. Neighbors joined together to learned how to organize a watch program, what to watch for and how to communicate their concerns to the city officials.

2012 Training Date:

•May 14, 6:30p.m. – Goodman Maintenance Facility, 1402 Wingra Creek Pkwy

Anyone who is interested in starting a Parks Watch program in their park or is just looking for more information should plan to attend.

In much the same fashion as Neighborhood Watch, we are asking park neighbors and partners to extend their watchful eyes and ears to the public spaces throughout the City of Madison. We are particularly interested in securing the cooperation of citizens whose homes or businesses overlook the public parks and public spaces as well as asking visitors who use these attractive and friendly facilities to serve as park ambassadors. The many generous volunteers who regularly tend to the parks and raise money for the park system will also be included in the process.

Successful Neighborhood and Parks Watch programs depend on grassroots efforts. Madison Police Department and Madison Parks representatives will be available to train residents in the processes of Parks Watch, focusing specifically on how to be a good witness, best communication methods with your neighbors, Police & Parks officials, as well as, when and how to contact the 9-1-1 Center.

For more information: www.cityofmadison.com/parks/partner/volunteer/parksWatch.cfm