Bassett neighborhood residents gathered at the Capitol Lakes retirement center Monday for their monthly neighborhood meeting to discuss the Nolen Centennial Project and the Mifflin Street block party.
The project's chairman, Tim Metcalfe, presented to the group on his proposal to develop the Olin-Turville Park area. He said the improvements to the area would improve its use and could bring many large events to Madison.
""I've lived here almost all of my life, and I actually never even knew that this was a park,"" Metcalfe said. ""I would just say to myself, ‘What is the potential? What's happening with Olin-Turville Park? What could it be? What should it be?'""
The main developments involved in the project include new trails for walking and biking, an area reminiscent of Chicago's Milennium Park ""Bean,"" a lake education center, an amphitheater and a bridge across John Nolen Drive to connect the Alliant Energy Center to the area.
Resident Gordon Cnare questioned how much the project would cost and where money would come from.
""When you're done with that, and we have the cost and everything, it always turns out to be three or four times as much as we thought, as I've been seeing these projects in engineering projects over the years,"" Cnare said.
Metcalfe said they haven't determined a cost range yet, and plan to do so within the next year or so.
Madison resident Judy Karofsky also said she hoped Metcalfe would focus the development to meet needs of the senior demographic.
""Please be aware of what's happening not just in Madison, but really all over the world with the demographics and the gray tsunami,"" Karofsky said. ""I think anything that's done on this scale has to be filtered through the needs of older people and the desires of older people to be there.""
Earlier in the meeting, the group discussed the Mifflin Street block party and asked for volunteers. Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc. will co-sponsor the block party with the Majestic Theatre, and Bassett Neighborhood Chair Pete Ostlind said he hopes they make a difference in the event.
""The intent here … is to make the event more than just beer-drinking in the yards,"" Ostlind said.
