Madison Common Council adopts Sasaki master plan for Lake Monona Waterfront

MADISON, Wis. -- The redesign of the Lake Monona Terrace and Waterfront is one step closer, as Madison's Common Council Tuesday unanimously approved adopting the master plan proposed by Boston-based design firm Sasaki.

The Sasaki plan has gained both city and public praise. It won a city resident survey last year and passed unanimously through 6 committees.

On Tuesday it was included in the consent agenda and passed without discussion.

The plan focuses on sustainability when proposing expanding the Monona Terrace, adding a waterfront restaurant, community center and nature center, and more.

A ambitious plan, but District 13 Alder Tag Evers said he wants to reassure people, adopting it means projects would start incrementally.

"To implement all aspects of the plan all at once, simply are not feasible and it's not intended to work that way," Evers said. "It could be 10, 20, 30, 40 years down the road before all the elements would be implemented. And it's likely not all elements will be implemented."

"But it's the notion that we would have this set of ideas, this plan to really take advantage of what is an underutilized space in our city," he said.

Originally, the plan focused on Law Park, or the area around Monona Terrace and Convention Center but in 2019 the mayor recommended extending to include Olin Park while John Nolen Drive is being reconstructed.

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