How behind is Sioux Falls in indoor recreation? ‘It just doesn’t exist’

Frank Gurnick doesn’t have to think long about the options for free or affordable indoor recreation in Sioux Falls.

“It just doesn’t exist,” he said. “We have next-to-zero opportunities for kids to have indoor recreational space that is, what I would say is, a cost that is affordable to them. Any indoor space out there, you usually have to rent it, and it usually comes with a fairly high rental fee.”

As director of operations for Dakota Alliance Soccer Club, Gurnick has had a front-row seat to the evolution of youth sports.

He cites 2010 data that called it a $4.4 billion industry.

“And now, it’s over $30 billion, and that’s only 14 years later, and it’s only getting larger and larger because it’s an appetite that is insatiable.”

The city of Sioux Falls is focused on another set of numbers as it envisions what the future of indoor recreation could look like in the community.

Using a benchmark of 1.5 square feet of space per capita, with a population of 213,000, the city should have about 320,000 square feet of indoor recreation space — not counting indoor aquatics.

In Sioux Falls, director of parks and recreation Don Kearney estimates that at most there’s 20,000 square feet — essentially accounting for the limited time open gym is available in schools that used to host community centers but now largely use them for before- and after-school care.

“This isn’t going to happen overnight,” he said of addressing the gap. “We’re not going to build 320,000 square feet (overnight).”

But the hope is that if a plan announced today can be put together to move the Sioux Falls Convention Center to the future downtown Riverline District, the existing convention center could be retrofitted to accommodate indoor recreation for all ages.

“If you look at the surveys we do with the community, adult health and wellness is important. Gym space, opportunities for field turf activities whether that be soccer or other sporting activities, senior programming … a walking track is usually the No. 1 most-requested amenity, so people can walk or run during the harsh winters,” Kearney said.

At today’s announcement inside the Convention Center, kids had access to pop-up recreational games showing a hint of what’s possible.

Outdoor adventure areas, such as climbing walls, and indoor play spaces could be options too, Kearney said. And, of course, pickleball.

“We’re just trying to maximize any opportunity for providing indoor recreation space,” he said.

He points to examples in other places, from Watertown to Fargo and throughout the Twin Cities where communities fund similar centers.

“We’re not dismissing the need for outdoor aquatics and recreation opportunities, but the area where we really lag is in indoor space,” he said.

Input from the city’s Parks & Recreation Department and community groups resonated with the Friends of the Riverline group putting together a recommendation for the downtown property at 10th Street and Franklin Avenue.

“It was pretty startling when we learned how behind we are on indoor recreation,” co-chair Natalie Eisenberg said. “That really stood out to us because Sioux Falls is not behind on much.”

Bringing a daily flow of visitors to the campus also might finally drive a bit of the retail activity many had hoped would materialize when the Denny Sanford Premier Center opened.

“You have a more consistent stream of people, (so maybe) that means there’s a coffee shop that goes out there,” co-chair Lynne Keller Forbes said.

A renovated convention center would provide recreation space in addition to whatever ultimately is recommended at Frank Olson or Kuehn parks. City leaders have said the hope is to fund one multigenerational center at one of those neighborhood locations that would include an indoor pool but also likely some other recreation features such as a walking path.

Allowing easy access from neighborhoods to affordable recreation shows fast success, Gurnick said. His organization helped support the concept of bringing mini-pitch soccer play areas to city parks, beginning last year at Terrace Park.

“We saw an evolution that was going to require us to start to have programming we could take to the kids,” he said. “If we could put resources in the neighborhoods, we could go directly to the kids. Immediately, kids gravitated to it and were playing.”

He also points to the success of the Neighborhood Soccer League, where volunteers from teachers to church members give time to help kids be able to participate.

“We’re concerned about kids not only on the field but off the field,” he said. “And if you look at our environment, we live in an environment where realistically seven months out of the year we need to have space indoors for kids to have athletic experiences.”

Riverline District vision: Move Convention Center downtown, renovate former site for recreation