Madison’s northeast neighborhood has waited almost two decades, not just for a library, but for a central hub for their community. The wait is finally over, as the brand new Imagination Center at Reindahl Park opened its doors on Sep. 26. Every innovative new element is the result of over a decade of outreach and feedback meant to provide a resource this community has been lacking.
The Imagination Center marks the first collaboration of its kind between Madison Public Libraries and Madison Parks, which is reflected in the building’s theme: “A Walk in the Park.” Large windows overlook the surrounding Reindahl Park everywhere you go, with the intention of the library flowing right from the windows into the park’s flowing trails and nature.
One of the largest supporters of the entire project is the City Council President, Sabrina Madison. While her district no longer contains the Imagination Center, she played a vital role in the project’s development.
“When I started in October 2022, there was zero operating budget,” Madison told The Daily Cardinal. “From day one, I worked on getting the support from other alders, from the mayor and from the community. I talked about that library almost every single day.”
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said “The Imagination Center is really designed to be a resource hub and a community gathering space… [it] eliminates a resource desert by filling a service and programming gap for Northeast Madison”.
The Center being a community space was certainly visible on a tour with library director Tana Elias.
“We heard over and over again that there aren’t spaces in this side of town to meet,” Elias told the Cardinal, explaining how several spaces within the library will be able to provide services beyond those typically expected at a library.
The largest gathering space will be the brand new park pavilion connected to the library itself, further integrating the library into Reindahl Park. The full Imagination Center building is split into two parts, the library and the pavilion. The pavilion, which is managed by the city’s parks department, will be available to rent starting in 2027, providing a long needed space for hosting events from birthday parties, to wedding receptions and corporate retreats.
On the library side, there is another meeting area as well as a dedicated classroom space, both of which are meant for organizations to meet and host events. One of the partners working in this space is The Literacy Network, which will be having classes four times a week for early and adult literacy for non-English speakers.
Another use for this space will be providing people with different community resources, such as tax assistance during tax season, guidance during health insurance enrollment periods, and in person and absentee voting and registration, Elias said.
“Sometimes we are the resource and sometimes we connect people to other resources,” Elias said.
The children's section of the Imagination Center Library photographed on Friday, Sept. 26, 2026.
The library itself has an expansive children’s area, with plenty of books, stuffed animals and toys to keep children of all ages occupied. There are also several smaller study rooms for meetings or personal use, and a quiet reading room for those looking for a more traditional library experience.
Elias and Madison both talked about the library’s brand new collection of physical and digital books and media, tailor-made for this primarily Hispanic neighborhood based on local interests and demographics.
“Alder Figueroa Cole, who is Puerto Rican, went to the grand opening with me. She saw a cookbook by another Puerto Rican woman with Puerto Rican recipes; she was super emotional,” Alder Madison told the Cardinal. “The selection highlights the colors of the area, especially Latino families.”
One of the standout aspects of the whole project is the art. Throughout the building is artwork from local artists representing the communities in the area surrounding the library. Currently on display throughout the library is artwork by Terrance Adeyanju, an artist living in the neighborhood of the Imagination Center.
Another art installation is the Imagination Wall, which displays murals from other artists across Madison. These murals are painted or displayed on four removable panels, allowing for a rotation of artwork that can be moved around Madison once finished at the Imagination Center. Currently on display is Passage, a collage by Aleida Hertel made entirely from discarded papers from the library’s collection.
The main outdoor art feature is called “The Passage of Being”. The side facing the library displays the colors of the national flags of the major immigrant communities of Northeast Madison, while the side facing the rest of the park is a reflection of the park itself onto the library.
Feedback from local students at Sandburg Elementary School was vital to the selection of this art piece.
“I told the arts commission I would not support the art selection moving forward without including those voices,” Madison, who talked with Sandburg students and showed them the options for that outdoor art feature told the Cardinal. “Their feedback was provided to the committee, and now when those kids come to the library they’ll be able to say ‘that was my favorite piece of art.’”
The Imagination Center also prioritized several different environmental sustainability features. The roof is almost entirely covered in solar panels, and the area right outside the library will feature a solar tree. The area just outside the building also collects geothermal energy used for heating and cooling within the building. The building itself will have a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor Rhodes-Conway, Alder Madison and Director Elias expressed their immense excitement about the opening and their gratitude toward the community that helped them get to this point through their involvement.
“It’s a huge accomplishment for Madison,” Rhodes-Conway said. “The benefits that this building will bring to the community are only going to grow in the years and decades to come.”
