MADISON, Wis. — January 30, 2026 — This year, Clean Lakes Alliance is working to ensure everyone can experience winter on Lake Mendota. The organization has launched an accessibility campaign, A Ramp to the Ice: Making Frozen Assets Accessible to All, to fund the installation of an accessible ramp from The Edgewater Pier to the lake surface during the Frozen Assets Festival.
This ramp will remove barriers for people using wheelchairs, mobility aids, and adaptive equipment, as well as families with strollers, allowing more community members to access on-ice activities and experience the lake in winter.
“Our mission is to champion our lakes for the benefit of all, and that means making sure more people can experience them firsthand,” said Caitlin McAleavey, Watershed Programs Manager at Clean Lakes Alliance. “When people can get out on the ice and connect with the lake, it builds the sense of stewardship that drives protection. This ramp is about access, belonging, and giving everyone the opportunity to build a relationship with local lakes.”
Community members can support the effort through the public campaign: A Ramp to the Ice: Making Frozen Assets Accessible to All (https://www.gofundme.com/f/A-Ramp-to-the-Ice).
Volunteers are still needed for the event. Use the volunteer link to sign up to secure a spot and reserve your custom Frozen Assets winter stocking cap!
Free, family-friendly activities for all ages
Frozen Assets Festival is a FREE, family-friendly winter celebration that helps remove barriers to participation — both physical and financial — by offering a wide range of activities on the ice and at The Edgewater, including:
- Free hot chocolate for festival-goers
- Free ice skating at The Edgewater Ice Rink
- Free skate rentals throughout the day
- Ice Science demonstrations with UW Limnology, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, and Project IceCube
- Large show kite demonstrations by the Wisconsin Kiters Club
- Aerial skydiving demonstrations by Seven Hills Skydivers
- Snow Snake Contest, an Indigenous winter sport practiced by numerous tribes in the Great Lakes region, hosted by the Ho-Chunk Nation
- Legendary Mary B. Ice Boat on display, courtesy of The Ice Boat Foundation
- Interactive indoor and outdoor programming, including hands-on science activities, winter crafts, performances, and educational experiences focused on our lakes
Event details, schedules, and updates are available at cleanlakesalliance.org/frozen-assets.
About Clean Lakes Alliance
Clean Lakes Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing the health of the Yahara lakes and their watershed for the benefit of all. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, Clean Lakes Alliance leads Renew the Blue, a shared roadmap with 12 priority actions agreed to by more than 35 governments and nonprofits, to improve water quality, protect public access, and ensure the lakes remain a vibrant environmental and economic asset for our region.
