Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

UPDATE: Indoor Aquatic Center sponsorship announcement

l3wis July 14, 2015 17Comments

The Midco Aquatic Center (I heard a couple of rumors about this yesterday) $220K per year for 10 years. Now if we can just get 3-4 more sponsors like that we won’t have to subsidize the operations of the joint. Heck, I would be willing to sell the place to Midco for $.80 on the dollar, after completed.

Any guesses who it might be?

I have no idea, I know people have been saying it will NOT be Sanford or Avera. If I had to make a wild guess I would say ‘Orthopedic Institute’.

So now the construction manager for the Indoor Aquatics center is spreading mis-information

l3wis July 13, 2015 4Comments

If there is one thing that has been consistent about the indoor aquatic center, it has been lies, broken promises and half-truths. The Argus Leader did a video interview today with a construction manager of the site, he was explaining the three different pools that were going to be built inside the building, and when he was talking about the therapy pool he said it would/could “be used by the veterans from the VA.”

Nobody from the VA has ever confirmed this, but the administration, the parks department and NOW the construction manager continue to peddle this to the public.

Enough! Until you get a signed agreement with the VA about this, stop telling people that is the case. Now there will be nothing stopping veterans from using the pool on their own time, but don’t affiliate that with the VA.

Are there other parks with ‘problems’ in Sioux Falls?

l3wis July 11, 2015 2Comments

A South DaCola foot soldier recently told me that there have been problems with homelessness and vandalism at and near another park in town. I guess the neighborhood kids have been having a little fun wreaking havoc on Veteran’s Park including vandalism to the restrooms and damaging the trees (climbing them and breaking limbs) and nearby the Russell Avenue bridge over the river is a popular ‘camp site’ for the homeless.

Not sure if any of this is true, or partially true, but it seems these days our parks in Sioux Falls are becoming play grounds for mischief and crime.

Spellerberg Webcam

l3wis July 3, 2015 2Comments

The city announced yesterday a construction webcam. Apparently they are using SIRE to run the cam, because, it does not work.

I tried Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox. Same screen; Black.

Van Eps Park Part II

l3wis July 1, 2015 12Comments

Seems Heritage Park has become the new party park (just east of the Former Zip Feed Mill on Weber Ave.);

Neighbors living around Heritage Park say it’s as if Van Eps moved to the east.

“They didn’t want people to see the crowds, the police and all that’s going on. Heritage Park will be that,” neighbor Wilma Barrett said.

Heritage Park is on the list of city parks where alcohol is banned, but these neighbors see people breaking that rule on a daily basis.

No surprise, I figured the problem would move around. In fact I still see drinking in Van Eps and I also see it at a picnic shelter by the old Drake Springs pool site. Police are there quite often.

I may get myself into a little trouble with this, but I think there should be a total ban on alcohol in ALL parks throughout the city. I would include the ball parks. I think if we are going to solve a problem like this we need to have an equal policy throughout the city.

PS – I noticed the female police officer in the video looks like the same one that tried to do a skateboard trick on a guard rail with her patrol car.