MONONA, Wis. (WMTV) – A once-private stretch of shoreline on Lake Monona is now at the heart of a major community effort, as the City of Monona and a local nonprofit work together to transform San Damiano into a vibrant public space.
San Damiano, a 10-acre lakeside property with nearly 1,000 feet of shoreline, was officially purchased by the City of Monona in 2021. But Mayor Mary O’Connor says her connection to the land began well before she took office.
“I was on a committee that was formed in 2015 to talk about how we might purchase San Damiano,” O’Connor said. “We, the city, asked for some time to explore whether or not we could possibly buy it because it’s the last undeveloped piece of property on Lake Monona… and it’s gorgeous.”
Following the purchase, a nonprofit called Friends of San Damiano formed to help bring a long-term vision to life. Now, thanks to a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), that group is officially stepping into a leading role.
The City of Monona will retain ownership of the land, but Friends of San Damiano will oversee daily operations, including hiring an executive director.
“The Friends are going to be responsible for the programming, operating the site, maintaining the site, and leading the future development,” said Wes Mosman Block, president of the nonprofit. “And an executive director is going to be this next step toward realizing that vision.”
That vision includes a community-driven master plan that outlines a phased transformation of the space. Plans focus on improving accessibility, environmental sustainability, and public use — all while preserving the property’s natural beauty.
“There’s not a lot of 10-acre parcels like this that we can maintain for public access,” Mosman Block said. “The goal is really to maintain its serene nature… but also improve it thoughtfully so that we can create more access to the property.”
While many decisions still lie ahead — including the future of the historic Frank Allis House, which is being evaluated through a feasibility study — one thing is clear: San Damiano has already become a symbol of what’s possible when a community comes together.
Much of the progress at San Damiano continues to rely on a dedicated and growing group of volunteers, whose work has been vital to its transformation so far.
“It is definitely a partnership relationship,” Mosman Block said. “People in Monona are thrilled about this. I routinely have people I don’t even know come up to me saying, ‘I’m so happy the city bought San Damiano.’ It’s just a really special place.”
As Friends of San Damiano takes on more responsibilities, the need for community involvement continues to grow. The organization is actively seeking more volunteers to help maintain the space, bring programming to life, and shape the future of the property.
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