Significant donations from American Family Insurance, the Evjue Foundation and Robert and Irwin Goodman will put Madison one step closer to raising the additional $1.4 million needed to build the city's first public swimming pool.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced the donations at a press conference Tuesday, adding he was \extremely excited"" about the developments. Both American Family Insurance and the Evjue Foundation are donating $100,000 to the effort, and the Goodman brothers are donating a half-million dollars in addition to their original $2 million gift.
In recognition of the brothers' generosity, Cieslewicz said he will recommend the City Council rename Franklin Field, the future site of the pool on Madison's South side, to Robert and Irwin Goodman Park.
The city still needs to raise an additional $700,000, and Cieslewicz also announced the creation of a pool fundraising committee, co-chaired by former County Executive Rick Phelps and Overture President George Austin. The committee is currently brainstorming for a list of potential donors.
""I'm confident that we can make it happen,"" Cieslewicz said. He added the city's current focus is on completing the first pool before worrying about raising money to build the two additional pools. He said he does not want the city to get ahead of itself, but noted he hopes they can ride the fundraising momentum into the second and third sites.
Cieslewicz said he wants to meet the Goodman brothers' challenge to begin construction next summer for completion in 2006.
""Together we will overcome decades of inaction and we will get this pool built,"" he said.
