Hayward Park design is final. Now it’s time to build

The neighborhood around Hayward Park is about to see a big improvement.

The city has finished designing $2.2 million in upgrades to the northwest Sioux Falls park, and construction will start as soon as the weather allows.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead.

New spray park

A large share of the project is dedicated to a new spray park, which will be similar in size to what the city offers at Mansor-Pioneer Park but with updated equipment similar to what’s outside the Midco Aquatic Center.

“There’s lots of fun, colorful pieces to it, lots of spray play value, so it should be a good one,” park development specialist Mike Patten said.

“Little kids like it, and parents love it because they don’t have to worry about drowning.”

Kids in the neighborhood show up in a big way for fire hydrant summer spray parties, so “we knew a spray park would be a great fit,” Patten said.

It all depends on construction, but the hope is kids might be able to use it before the end of the season.

“The goal is to be done mid-August and open yet this summer and fall,” Patten said.

Walking loop

The main park, which is south of Hayward Elementary on Valley View Road, will include a large walking loop, and there will be improvements to the field itself.

“That’s heavily used for soccer and junior football practice, and the big open space is used quite a bit, so we plan to irrigate that for higher-quality turf,” Patten said.

You’ll also notice a lot of new bike racks, he added.

Dog park

The neighborhood dogs will have a place of their own with what Patten calls a “small neighborhood off-leash dog park.”

If the budget allows, the park will include turf similar to the Kirby Dog Park downtown.

New playground

Thanks to fundraising efforts through the Promising Futures Fund and Leadership Sioux Falls, there will be new playground equipment coming to Hayward Park.

It will complement the more traditional playground adjacent at the elementary school, Patten said.

“We’ve specified a ‘Ninja Warrior’-style obstacle course,” he said. “So it’s more action-based play … and this is an area where we need to encourage physical fitness, so by putting in more of a climbing, running, active play set, we hopefully get a little more active play.”

It’s designed for children age 5 to 12, but “I think high school kids and grownups will play on it,” he added.

“It’s got a little running track, and the inspiration for that came from the NFL Combine where they run the 40-yard dash and time it. I’m told kids absolutely love racing each other on it.”

The entire project is scheduled to be done by the end of the season.

It follows extensive collaboration and input with the neighborhood and school that began last year. Click below for that story.

Forgotten no more: Park improvements are coming to west-side neighborhood