Olin & Turville Parks

Located on the shores of Lake Monona, with stunning Capitol views, Olin and Turville Parks together form one of Madison's most beautiful, accessible natural assets. Facilities in these two parks accommodate a broad range of outdoor activities, from the quietest to the most active. Olin Park has a public boat launch, beach, soccer field, playground equipment, a restored historic pavilion that can be reserved, and trails for walking, jogging, and biking. Adjacent Turville Point Conservation Park is a quiet, wooded preserve where you can retreat into a contemplative nature walk or a moon-lit cross-country ski tour. 

Dances Return to Olin Pavilion on Tuesdays in May, 2023

Sorta last minute, but FREE instruction and dancing will return to the Olin Pavilion on the following Tuesdays this May from 6 to 8 PM:

--  Tuesday, May 9th:  Madison Tango Society

--  Tuesday, May 16th:  Madison Tango Society

--  Tuesday, May 23rd:  MadCoCo (Contra)

--  Tuesday, May 30th:  West Coast Swing

Yoga Returns to Olin Pavilion in the Summer of 2023

Friends of the free asanas - mark your calendars for six sessions of yoga in the Olin Park pavilion.  Starting June 12th, every Monday eve at 6 PM, Sam Kellogg will again provide instruction and guidance in her Alignment Yoga method. Her classes are open to all levels of experience, and will focus on the yoga fundamentals of breathing and asana postures. Bring a mat if you have one, but mats and props will be available. So come together with mindful others in the serenity of the historic Olin Park pavilion to nurture your yoga practice and enjoy the city skyline view. 

Most recent FOOT meeting was Thursday, March 23, 2023 

Eight of us gathered in person at The Borough's Brew Company on Thursday, March 23 at 6:30 PM for a long overdue FOOT meeting. Two key topic of discussion were:

1)  Planning for the 2023 'season' at the Olin Park pavilion. Concert, dance and yoga series were
       proposed, and dates will be established soon. 

2)  Discussion of likes, dislikes and concerns regarding the three final designs for the Lake Monona
      Waterfront Design Challenge.  Those comments have been summarized and submitted to the city's
      Ad Hoc Committee overseeing the Design Challenge.

Folks on our email list automatically receive meeting FOOT-Notes, and FOOT-Notes are also archived here on our website.

Three Finalists for Monona Waterfront  Design Challenge 

In late 2022, the city of Madison announced the three finalists among the national-level design firms competing for redesign of Law Park, the John Nolen causeway and the northern edge of Olin Park. Those three firms were:


To view the final submissions,  visit the Parks Division's Monona Waterfront Design Challenge page,