Imagination Center at Reindahl Park

Project Vision & Background

Dreams. Visions. Ideas. Hopes. Wishes.

In the hundreds of Madison Public Library staff-led conversations with northeast side residents and neighborhood leaders to develop a new library and community hub concept for Reindahl Park, these are the words that repeatedly surfaced.

These words formed the inspiration for what we know today as the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park, a multifunctional, indoor-outdoor library and community space that would be the first-ever library facility within a Madison park.

Located off E. Washington Ave at Portage Rd., the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park would help connect library and city services to the northeast side of Madison.

The Imagination Center is a unique collaboration that involves four partners: Madison Public Library, City of Madison Engineering, Madison Parks and Madison Public Library Foundation.  

Past Public Meetings

• Imagination Center Update, August 27, 2024 - Handout & Meeting Recording
• Public Information Meeting (Design Development and Public Involvement) for Imagination Center at Reindahl Park, November 6, 2023 | Recorded Public Meeting | Presentation Slides
• Public Information Meeting (Pre-Design) for Imagination Center at Reindahl Park, January 27, 2022 | recorded public meeting | presentation slides
• Presentation to joint meeting of the Library Board and Board of Parks Commission, March 11, 2020
• Presentation to the Library Board, August 1, 2019

Planning Documents

Imagination Center at Reindahl Park, Scoping Study. March 2020.
Eastside Strategic Plan - Communities Inspiring Libraries. Madison Public Library, 2016.

Imagination Center at Reindahl Park in the News

Madison to update master plan for sprawling Reindahl Park as big project there looms. Dean Mosiman. Wisconsin State Journal, July 30, 2022.

Preliminary designs show vision for new 'Imagination Center' library at Reindahl Park. Logan Reigstad.  Channel3000. January 27, 2022. 

First public meeting set for new Imagination Center at Reindahl Park. Andrew Walker. WKOW.com. January 27, 2022.

Madison unveils $16.1 million 'Imagination Center' with library, pavilion at Reindahl Park. Dean Mosiman. Wisconsin State Journal. January 26, 2022.

City and library release "Imagination Center" plans for Reindahl Park. Marcus Aarsvold. NBC15 TV. January 26, 2022.

From civic space to child care, east side residents envision possibilities for proposed Reindahl Imagination Center. Abigail Becker. The Capital Times. March 4, 2020.

Soil Drilling, Testing to Begin in Reindahl Park. Hannah Mohelnitzky. City of Madison Press Release. November 19, 2019.

Ald. Samba Baldeh: Reindahl Park Library Would Bring Services to Those with Greatest Needs. Samba Baldeh, District 17 Alder. The Cap Times. October 17, 2019.

Snakes and Slides: How Locals are Imagining the Reindahl Imagination Center. Michelle Baik, NBC-15 TV. October 8, 2019.

Reindahl Imagination Center Would Be More Than "A Library in a Park". Abigail Becker, The Cap Times. June 17, 2019.

Madison Considers Building $17M Library, Community Center at Reindahl Park. Dean Mosiman, Wisconsin State Journal. August 9, 2017.