Parks system starts work on new long-term plan

The Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation Department will look out to the year 2030 with a new comprehensive plan that will address every element of the city parks system.

The plan is updated every five years and helps “guide the development of Sioux Falls parks, trails, facilities, programs and events, and open spaces,” said Don Kearney, parks and recreation director.

A comprehensive plan is required for accreditation but also is a chance to take “the pulse of the community” and determine what has changed since the last plan.

“We believe we have a strong track record of following through on the strategies we’ve identified in our comprehensive plan,” Kearney said.

The last survey was done pre-pandemic and the new one could show an impact from that as people increasingly have used the parks system.

Within the department, the plan is “something that I use every day,” said Mike Patten, parks planning and development manager. “It’s a crucial tool for our department, and it really helps guide our decisions.”

The last five-year plan strongly identified a need for more indoor recreation, leading the city to acquire the west-side recreation center from Sanford Health and support a new multiuse recreation facility at Frank Olson Park, in addition to a reuse for the city’s outdated community center model. Support for aquatics also resulted in a new pool coming to Kuehn Park and a new wading pool at McKennan Park.

Support for Falls Park led to the creation of Jacobson Plaza, which will add a playground, ice ribbon, splash pad and dog park this year.

“This plan doesn’t just sit on our shelf,” Patten said. “It’s a tool we use every day.”

The process will look at every element of the current parks system, from trails to facilities, playgrounds, picnic shelters and pools.

The analysis will include looking at community demographics, local and regional trends and the current level of service provided to different neighborhoods in the community, as well as fees.

The plan began last fall with data gathering and will continue through September, when the Parks and Recreation Board and City Council would vote on it.

How to weigh in

The next six to eight weeks will bring multiple opportunities for public input:

• Online: Visit the engagement website at siouxfalls.gov/masterplan to complete the online survey, use the interactive feedback map or contribute to the vision board. This will be open for the next six to eight weeks.
• In-person open house: Attend the open house from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, at the Westside Recreation Center, 8701 W. 32nd St. Share ideas and connect with Parks and Recreation staff.

In addition to these opportunities, the department will gather feedback through a statistically valid survey, focus groups with stakeholders and one-on-one interviews with the City Council and the parks board.

“Your feedback is essential,” Patten said. “It’s the bedrock that this plan is built on.”