Local neighborhood association celebrates grand opening of new park

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - On Saturday members of the Junction Ridge Neighborhood Association celebrated the grand opening of a new, community park. They’re calling it the neighborhood Oasis.

Volunteers say the idea grew from community brainstorming during the pandemic. Residents wanted to make the neighborhood a better place to live and were awarded funding to make the Oasis a reality.

According to Mukta Nandwani, a board member of the association, people wanted to have seating, flower gardens, prairie, a drinking fountain and restroom and spaces for recreational, sports, and social programs. As a first step in the project, the neighborhood decided to start with an “Oasis” -- a patio surrounded by perennial beds, and a nearby prairie restoration.

“We are very proud of what we have accomplished through the support of our community, the City, and businesses,” Nandwani told NBC15 in an email.

Nandwani says the grand opening Sunday, does not mark the end of the work.

“It is really a commencement to honor the work done so far and to inspire the continuing evolution of the Oasis and the community,” said Nandwani.

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