By Colby Dunn
News Writer

Town Park is now open for business, and Main Street Manager Ann Huff said she's fielding calls left, right and center from people scrambling to use the facility. But setting the prices, rules and policies can be tricky business, so the city council met at a work session on Monday, Feb. 1 to figure out just who can use the new park, and for how much.

Huff and City Planning Manager Monica Callahan told the council that the goal was to keep the park community focused, with more open events than private, but balancing between being an event facility and a park for the people may prove a fine line for Madison's newest grassy venue.

The preliminary usage policy seen by council members listed blackout dates when the park would be closed to scheduled events, and also proposed a low monthly threshold on how many events can be staged.

A much-discussed item in the policy was criteria on what constituted an appropriate event for the park. Huff and Callahan said they wrote into the policy that the criteria would form the basis for all decisions, and anything contentious would go to the Downtown Development Authority, who own the park, for final say and later to the city council, when the park is eventually deeded back to the city, hopefully taking the potential for politics out of the process.

"She [Huff] can never say no," explained Callahan. "If something makes her nervous, she can flip it to the property owner."
Most of the criteria concern the impact an event will have on the city, both economically and in terms of city services, health and safety and the public openness of the park. Some also took into consideration the applicants past event experience and proximity of other similar events.

While a definite price structure hasn't been nailed down, the proposal split events into two levels: Level 1, an event that expects 500-2,000 people, and Level 2, anything below 500 attendees.

Insurance will also be a requirement for potential renters, although how much is needed is still in the air.
Daily rates listed in the policy ranged from $1,500 for just the park's terrace to $2,500 for a Level 2 event.
Huff explained that larger, community events would be charged at a lower rate to encourage renters that would open their events to the public.

A community support rate will also be offered to in-county non-profits, which would be an hourly rate of $150 for the terrace, $200 for the lawn.

Closing the park to events on Sundays was also discussed, for much the same reason.
"If we're always renting it on Saturday, then maybe Sunday should be for the quiet enjoyment of the taxpayer," said Callahan.

The policies are still under review by city officials and council members, and no firm date has been set for approval of the policy.