By Jan Axelson
Northside News
On April 14, Madison Parks staff hosted a virtual public meeting to present information and receive comments on plans for a Northside park in the planning stages. The future Hartmeyer-Roth Park lies south of Roth Street between North Sherman Avenue and recently constructed developments with over 500 apartments on Huxley Street. The City of Madison acquired the 15-acre site a few years ago for use as park land.
Much of the site is pond and wetland, with some higher ground. At the meeting, Landscape Architect Izzy Wilde presented two design concepts. Wilde stated that the concepts were meant as a communication tool, with any and all design ideas up for discussion.
Both concepts included walking trails, a wetland boardwalk, a small forest and prairie, and sections of mowed turf. Clustered near the apartments were areas for a gathering space, fitness activities, a playground, and other active recreation such as basketball. The pond and wetland areas were preserved.
In public comments, Beth Sluys of the Friends of Hartmeyer Natural Area shared that ground-penetrating radar has documented buried human remains at a mound within the park boundary. Sluys expressed concern that putting a playground or other activity-based things near the mound would be disrespectful to the site. She stated that this area should not be near noisy activity but should provide a calm and respectful space as one would find in a cemetery.
Sluys urged halting any final planning for the park until the site can be assessed with a Phase 1 Archaeological Survey. A Phase 1 survey would look for human graves and other material remains of past human life such as pottery and tools.
Madison Parks Assistant Superintendent Lisa Laschinger responded that Parks “would work directly with the Wisconsin State Historical Society and obtain any permits that would be required.”
There was disagreement about whether a Phase 1 survey would require shovel testing, which typically involves digging small holes along a grid and sifting the removed soil to look for cultural remains. Laschinger said Parks wouldn’t want to disturb the ground in this way. Northside resident David Bierman countered that surveys are possible without shovel testing.
Responding to a comment urging that the entire park should be managed as a conservation park, Planning and Development Manager Adam Kaniewski stated that there is a need for a general neighborhood park in this area to serve the residents. Laschinger added that the goal is to “balance the needs of preserving the natural ecosystem that is here and providing habitat for flora and fauna but also to meet the needs of the people that are living here.”
A second public meeting was planned for May or June. For more about the project and any future public meetings, visit cityofmadison.com/parks/projects and select Hartmeyer-Roth Development Plan.
To learn and participate in the Friends of Hartmeyer Natural Area, search hartmeyernaturalarea on Facebook. The group meets at 5 pm on the third Thursday of each month at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center.
In park news just east of the Hartmeyer-Roth site, the Common Council approved purchasing a property that the East Madison Little League has been leasing from a private owner. The city will continue the lease. The seller of the property, at 1010 North St., is OM Land LLC, an owner of the former Oscar Meyer property.
