Who we are

We are an all-volunteer grassroots group of concerned citizens who strongly oppose Edgewood’s recently unveiled plan to turn its new athletic field into a stadium with 1,000 seats, 80-foot high-mount night lighting and an amplified sound system.

Some of us are Edgewood parents and alumni. We’re your neighbors, colleagues, walkers, runners, kayakers, and cyclists. We’re everyone who appreciates the Monroe Street corridor and Lake Wingra watershed.

Volunteers canvassed the neighborhood to find out where you stand on the issue. The majority is overwhelmingly opposed to the stadium. Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey.

Please consider a donation to support No New Stadium. Funds are used to retain legal counsel. Donations of any size make a difference. Thank you.

About the issue

Under the existing Campus Master Plan, approved in 2015, Edgewood built a $1.5 million outdoor athletic field. At that time, the neighborhood was led to believe the field would be used for practices only, and would not include lights or a sound system. Edgewood High School president Mike Elliott declared in the Wisconsin State Journal (6/15/2015), that neighborhood associations have been “opposed to us having lights or playing games here. We’re … building this to be able to give our athletes the practice facilities that provide the best surfaces possible.”

What changed?

Three years later, Edgewood has changed course and now plans to add a stadium to the practice field. They propose to host night events for football, soccer, lacrosse, track and field, and numerous other unlit sporting events during the day and early evening that would use amplified sound. This is a significant change in use of a significant part of their campus, which will have a significant impact on the neighborhood.

The effect of the lights, sound system, and increased usage on neighbors closest to the field would be devastating. Even without amplification, noise from the field is already disruptive to neighbors more than a block away. Some Edgewood neighbors are less than 100 feet away from the field—about one quarter of the distance of the nearest home to the Otto Breitenbach Stadium where Edgewood currently plays its football games.

What are the implications for Lake Wingra?

The site of the proposed stadium is less than a block from Lake Wingra, Madison’s quietest lake. Thanks to a history of thoughtful policy and development, few buildings are visible on the shoreline, the UW Arboretum surrounds much of the lake, and motor driven boats must be operated at a slow-no-wake speed not exceeding five miles per hour. We need to continue to protect Lake Wingra and to preserve its Northwoods-like tranquility, something rarely found in the heart of a city.

Lake Wingra is a treasure. Given the impact of a stadium’s lights, crowd noise and amplified sound, our concerns should be shared by all who treasure access to nature in Madison’s public spaces.

What is the Collaborative Working Group?

This group, consisting of representatives from DMNA, the Vilas Neighborhood Association and Edgewood High School engages in facilitated dialog about Edgewood’s proposed changes to its athletic field. The agreed-to purpose of this work group is “Finding a way forward for Edgewood High School and the community regarding the EHS athletic field that optimizes the interests of key stakeholders.”

The meeting notes and agendas from meetings can be found here: EHS Collaborative Working Group Public Folder. 

Edgewood distributed a revised plan on April 29, 2019. NOTE that letters from City of Madison attorneys and zoning staff to Edgewood’s attorneys refute many of Edgewood’s claims in this document; please don’t assume they may proceed as they wish. Download the document here.

History of neighbor support for Edgewood building proposals

As of November 2018

The Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood Association has a long history of working successfully with the Edgewood Campus, as illustrated by the 18 projects completed on the campus since 1992:

1995, Sonderegger Science Center, college, high school, campus school

1997, Master Plan approved

1997, High School parking lot expansion

1997, Parking lot and circular drive, campus school

1997, Parking ramp structure, high school

1999, Predolin Humanities Center, college

2004, Mazzuchelli Biological Station, college

2007, Dominican Dormitory, college

2008, Campus School addition, campus school

2012, The Stream, visual and theatre arts center, college

2012, De Ricci Hall remodel, college

2014, Second Master Plan approved

2015, Regina Hall addition, college

2015, Track and Field surface upgrade, high school

2016, Commons expansion, high school

2017, Parking expansion, high School

2018, Fine Arts addition, high School