City details plans for new indoor playground

An expanded indoor playground is coming to the Westside Recreation Center.

The new play structure at 8701 W. 32nd St. will span two levels and about 1,000 square feet, with activity areas for toddlers through about age 12.

Renderings courtesy of the city of Sioux Falls; all custom design images shown as conceptual

“We were trying to maximize the space,” park development specialist Tyler Landry said. “It’s an existing building, so we just wanted to bring as many play features as we could.”

There are several slides and crawling features, including a climbing wall on one side.

There are soft surfaces under the play structure as well as sports balls that can be used for crawling or climbing.

“I’m excited about an interactive play feature called a stomp that basically four kids can be on, and it’s like a race to the top … you’re stomping your feet to make it go,” Landry said.

“I imagine there will be other play toys in that area too. It’s a space we can section off that’s protected with seats around it.”

Construction on the playground will begin in January, with the hope of opening it sometime in February.

In the meantime, other indoor play equipment will remain and has proven popular with families, Landry said.

Indoor playgrounds have been a consistent request from residents in surveys related to park planning.

“We’ve been dreaming this up ever since we got the Westside Rec Center, and it’s exciting it’s going forward,” Landry said.

There also will be an indoor playground coming to the new east-side recreation center at Frank Olson Park.