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

Orland Bell park

At this Park

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 RESERVE ONLINE
View all Basketball Courts
- Orlando Bell Park - Basketball Court
  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 1 full
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.

Marlborough Park

View all Horseshoe/Bocce Courts
- Orlando Bell Park - Horseshoe
  Location: By shelter
  Surface: Sand
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 2
Multipurpose Field
Open or Multipurpose Fields are reservable athletic fields with no game-specific design or limitations. Often used for soccer, ultimate, lacrosse or football, yet open to your imagination. Multipurpose Fields are located throughout the city and may be used on a first-come, first-served basis if not already reserved. RESERVE ONLINE

SPECIALIZED FIELDS
Specialized fields include soccer, cricket, ball diamonds - baseball or softball and both fenced and non-fenced, may be viewed on the individual pages. See the sidebar on the Athletics webpage.
View all Multipurpose Fields
- Orlando Bell Park - Multipurpose Field
- Orlando Bell Park - Multipurpose Field
- Orlando Bell Park - Multipurpose Field
- Orlando Bell Park - Multipurpose Field
Picnic Shelter
Picnic shelters, also called sun shelters, are smaller, open-air structures that provide a little shade and typically some seating. They do not protect 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 2025 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 cancelation policy.
- Opening day to reserve a park picnic shelter for the following year begins on the first business day in November.
- 2025 reservations are open as of Friday, November 1, 2024.
  - IMPORTANT: Canceling a reservation made on opening day will result in a 50% refund and must be submitted at least 11 or more days before the event date. No refunds are given if the request is submitted 10 days or fewer before the event.
RULES & TIPS
- 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.
View all Picnic Shelters
- Orlando Bell Park Picnic Shelter
  Restrooms: No
  Lighted: No
  Notes: Electricity: Y (by key when arranged with reservation)
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. An accessible playground is anticipated in Reindahl Park in the near future.

NATURE PLAYGROUNDS
A nature playground uses natural materials such as logs, rocks, plants, and the surrounding land to create a play environment that encourages children to explore and connect with nature. Nature play elements can combined with traditional playground equipment like slides, swings and climbers. Check out Brittingham Park and Olbrich Park to get you started, other parks include Paunack, Garner, Tenney, Westmorland and Wingra.

PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENTS: HOW AND WHEN
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.
View all Playgrounds
- Orlando Bell Park - Playground
Sledding
Sledding in Madison Parks
Madison Parks offers many hills perfect for winter sledding with a good snow base. Except for Elver Park, we do not monitor or maintain sledding hills but suggest locations on this page. Elver Park offers a steep, evening-lit hill with sleds available to rent or purchase, typically when the warming shelter is staffed for cross-country ski rentals.

Sleds & Concessions
During the winter season, sleds are available to rent or purchase in the staffed warming shelter at Elver Park.

Sleds Price

Rent by the hour $2

Purchase $20

View all Sledding
- Orlando Bell Park - Sledding
  Warming House: No
  Concessions: No