Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

Let’s get wet

l3wis July 12, 2012 10Comments

If you want, or do not want an indoor pool in SF, make your opinion known tonight;

Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation will be holding a public meeting to discuss the Master Plan for Spellerberg Park from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today at Oyate Community Center.

This plan will address the possibility of a new indoor aquatic facility and other park renovations. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to ask questions and share their vision of what Spellerberg Park should be.

Oyate Community Center is at 2421 W. 15th St., attached to Garfield Elementary School.

If you have questions regarding this meeting, call the Park Office at 367-8222.

Phase II of the River Greenway Project started today?

l3wis July 4, 2012 11Comments

They must have heard my Independence Day speech last night at the city council meeting and got inspired (FF: 4:20 ) BTW, it was nice meeting another foot soldier at the meeting last night 🙂

This email and these photos were sent to me today (awaiting some video);

I was downtown at around 7:30 this morning and came across something very interesting! Soukup is very busy today working on the east bank of the river (Phase II of the River Greenway Project). Also, it appears that they are dumping contaminated soil from the east bank directly into the river. Not sure if this is permissible, but I was at the Park Board meeting when Jon Jacobson of Confluence (the landscape architect on the River Greenway Project, Phases I and II) told the Board that the soils on the East Bank Phase II are even more contaminated than in Phase I. Someone needs to alert the EPA and the Dept. of Natural Resources. They are the agencies that permitted this job and it appears that there is no oversight taking place.

UPDATED: According to the SF City Attorney’s office they are Ledges not Steps

l3wis December 15, 2011 18Comments

UPDATED:greenway

Recently some citizen advocates voiced concerns to the city attorney that the STEPS at the river greenway site could be dangerous, and people could slip and fall into the river. The city attorney sent them a letter that stated that they were NOT STEPS, but LEDGES meant for sitting on (I have yet to get a copy of the letter, but have read it). The letter also goes on to remind them that there is a slip plate on the last LEDGE, similar to the orange slip plates that are on the end of sidewalks (you know, things you walk and step onto).

Why would you need a slip plate for something you are sitting on? Obviously this is some kind of legal mumbo jumbo they cooked up. It reminds of the time my artist friend hung a mural on the Horse Barn at Falls Park, and then Parks director Mike Cooper said it wasn’t a ‘mural’ but a large ‘painting’ because it was free standing and not actually painted on the structure, so it didn’t need council approval.

Either way, STEPS or LEDGES someone is going to eventually fall into the river at that site.

Eight million dollars later and no safety precautions, imagine that!

Ellis hits another homer with his story about the River Greenway Project cost overruns

l3wis December 4, 2011 3Comments

Of course we have batted this around on South DaCola for awhile, and you can reread everything we already know;

The city negotiated a contract with Scherschligt to buy an option for land at the Zip site. As part of that contract, Scherschligt asked the city to begin work on the river greenway.

This meeting of course was held in the middle of the night in Munson’s coat closet.

But this part of the column stood out like a sore thumb;

The Argus Leader requested change orders and documents related to the project last week, but that information had not been provided as of Friday afternoon.

Gee, I wonder why?