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Dane County officials cut ribbon on accessible Badger Prairie playground
Summary
Dane County officials opened a new universally accessible playground at Badger Prairie County Park, emphasizing accessible surfacing, accessible restrooms and free public access while acknowledging Ho-Chunk homelands and thanking staff and partners involved in the project.
Dane County officials cut the ribbon at Badger Prairie County Park to open a new universally accessible playground, highlighting features meant to improve accessibility and reaffirming that county parks remain free to the public.
An agency official, speaking at the ceremony, said the playground adds "poured in place playground surfacing for wheelchair accessibility, drinking fountains that anyone can go and wet their whistle at, [and] adjustable changing tables in the restroom" and called the improvements part of the county's commitment "to accessibility, inclusion and high quality public spaces for every single one of us to be able to enjoy." The official also noted the county is working within tight budget constraints but said the project reflects resident priorities and long-standing county investment in parks.
The County Parks Chair opened with a land acknowledgement, saying the gathering was on "the traditional and contemporary homelands of the Ho-Chunk people" and noting past forced removals. The chair invited cooperation and said the county and the Ho-Chunk Nation planned a related ceremonial sharing event the following day.
The chair provided a short history of the 317-acre site, saying the land was used in the 19th century for a poor farm and later institutional uses, and that a landfill operated on part of the site from 1977 to 1986 before the area was converted to park uses. The chair described the park as anchoring the Ice Age Junction corridor and noted nearby communities including Madison, Fitchburg and Verona. The chair also thanked staff and contractors by name for coordinating and completing the project.
Officials emphasized that the playground is free to use. "This is more than just a universally accessible park. It is also free," the agency official said, adding that continued public access is a county priority. The ceremony concluded with a ceremonial count and ribbon cut while children were already playing on the new equipment.
The event did not include formal votes or policy decisions; remarks focused on the playground's features, site history and partnerships that delivered the project. Officials named staff and contractors involved in planning and construction and encouraged attendees to use the park.
