Orlando Bell Park

Address: | 2274 S. Thompson Dr. |
Hours: | 4:00am - 10:00pm |
Park Type: | Neighborhood |
Acres: | 13.10 |
Restroom: | No |
Drinking Water: | Yes |
Park Details
This 13-acre park located between Hwy. 51 and I-39/90 on Madison eastside features a reservable picnic shelter, full court basketball, horseshoe courts, ball field, open field and in the winter season a hill perfect for sledding.Named in 1997 in memory of Orlando Bell for his civic leadership and vision. Mr. Bell was President of the NAACP from 1990-1993 and served the City of Madison Community Services Commission, the Chancellor's Madison Minority Community Advisory Committee, and Dane County Affirmative Action Committee. Among his many other contributions, he served as an Executive Director of the South Madison Neighborhood Center.
Alternate address: 5320 Forge Drive

At this Park
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Basketball Court
Madison Parks ranks #1 in the nation for the number of basketball hoops per resident, come check out the hoops in your neighborhood! Most of the basketball courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you are planning a new league or tournament see Athletic Field Reservations.
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Orlando Bell Park - Basketball Court
Surface: Asphalt
Lighted: No
Number of Courts: 1 full
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Horseshoe/Bocce Court
Enjoy a beautiful day outside by playing the classic game of horseshoe. It's a fun game for the whole family to participate in.
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Marlborough Park -
Orlando Bell Park - Horseshoe
Location: By shelter
Surface: Sand
Lighted: No
Number of Courts: 2
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Open Field
Madison Parks are a unique blend of active recreation and passive recreation spaces. Open Fields are just that - open, not pre-designed as a softball diamond, or football field. These open fields are available in these parks to spark your imagination, play a game of tag, or follow the leader - or anything you can think of! Enjoy your parks!
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Orlando Bell Park - Open Field Games
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Orlando Bell Park - Open Field Games
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Picnic Shelter
Picnic shelters are smaller, open-air structures that provide a little shade and typically some seating. They do not provide protection from severe weather, such as lightning. A picnic shelter may be reserved or used on a first-come, first-served basis if not previously reserved.
- See SHELTER PRICES for 2024 rates.
- BEFORE reserving, be sure to see Parks Projects. We are continually improving our park system and some of these improvements may impact a nearby shelter.
- RESERVE Three Ways
- ONLINE
- Calling (608)266-4711
- In-person at the Parks administration office
- Full payment is due at the time of processing your reservation, along with any required permits.
- Credit card is the only accepted method of payment.
- Need to CANCEL? All reservations are subject to our standard cancellation policy.
- Madison Parks does not guarantee absolute privacy to any group. Your reservation will reserve only the facility you are using, not the entire park or other facilities within the park. If you are interested in reserving the entire park, please visit Special Events.
- Alcohol is permitted in most Madison Parks, as long as there is no glass. A handful of parks are alcohol-free and require a permit to bring alcohol. You must have a reservation to obtain an alcohol permit.
- All picnic shelters are open year-round, however, if the picnic shelter has restrooms, these are open seasonally and closed for the winter typically October - April.
- In the event of severe weather, picnic shelters are not lightening protection areas. Please seek an alternative location.
- Firearms or weapons are not permitted at any of the shelters. Violators may be considered trespassers and may be subject to forfeiture or arrest.
- Park improvements and/or construction may be underway during the time of your reservation. The City of Madison Parks Division makes every attempt to schedule around events and shelter reservations whenever possible, however, this is not a guarantee. Please keep in mind improvements to parks and infrastructure continues throughout the year. Please see Park Projects for park improvement that may impact a nearby shelter.
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Orlando Bell Park Picnic Shelter
Restrooms: No
Lighted: No
Notes: Electricity: Y (by key when arranged with reservation)
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Playground
With more than 175 playgrounds throughout Madison, you are never too far from a playground. According to the Trust for Public Land, Madison ranks #1 in the nation for the number of playgrounds available. The traditional swings and slides are always an option, as are new play elements and fully accessible playgrounds.
PLAYGROUNDS FOR EVERYONE
Through the Madison Parks Foundation initiative, Madison Parks offers accessible playgrounds in Brittingham, Elver, Rennebohm and Warner parks. In 2024, an accessible playground is anticipated in Reindahl Park.
PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENTS: HOW AND WHEN
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Madison Parks is responsible for maintaining more than 175 playgrounds and began a system-wide replacement initiative in 2013. With current staff and funding resources, replacements are scheduled to continue through 2033. Playgrounds are routinely inspected to assess the equipment's conditions and repair any safety concerns. Based on the age of the equipment and current conditions, each is given an audit score. The number of playgrounds replaced each year is based on budget allocations, staffing resources, and using the current playground audit score for prioritization.
REPLACEMENT PROCESS: NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT
At the start of the replacement process, notices are sent to the District Alder, neighborhood association representatives, and surrounding residential addresses. Information is also posted to the project website. Generally, two public meetings are held to review surfacing and equipment options and make final selections.
If you have questions about a specific playground or see something broken, please let us know.-
Orlando Bell Park - Playground
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Sledding
Madison Parks offers many hills perfect for winter sledding. With a good snow base, here are a few suggested locations. Elver Park offers lighting in the evening, during the open season. Sledding hills are not monitored or maintained.
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Orlando Bell Park - Sledding
Warming House: No
Concessions: No
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Soccer Field
Many of the soccer fields are programmed with youth and adult league play. If you would like to reserve a field or facility, please call the Athletic Scheduler at (608)266-4711. Find out more about Athletic Field Reservations.
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Fields, open or closed?
If a field reservation is canceled, a notification is emailed to the user who made the field reservation. Notifications are sent by 2:00 pm Monday through Friday and by 9:00 am on weekends and holidays.-
Orlando Bell Park - Soccer
Bleachers: No
Lighted: No
Setup: Youth
Type: Game
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Ultimate Frisbee Field
Ultimate Frisbee or just Ultimate uses large open spaces. Organized groups may reserve these fields for their league play using our online reservation system Athletic Field Reservations.
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Fields, open or closed?
If a field reservation is canceled, a notification is emailed to the user who made the field reservation. Notifications are sent by 2:00 pm Monday through Friday and by 9:00 am on weekends and holidays.
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Orlando Bell Park - Ultimate Frisbee
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