Sioux Falls is working to bring year-round activities to their downtown with plans to entertain people of all ages at a new park and greenway.
Mayor Paul TenHaken announced that the city recieved necessary donations to move forward with the Jacobson Plaza at Falls Park and river greenway.
Jacobson Plaza will be a park along Philips Avenue at the upper falls. The $16.5 million project will include a splashpad, an accessible playground, ice skating ribbon and a dog park called Pawsible Park.
The city brought in consultants that run Bryant Park in New York City to review the plan, according to TenHaken.
“It’s gonna be a very family-friendly facility that will really activate the downtown year-round. And it’s something that our downtown planning has longed for,” Don Kearney, the director of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation, said.
Another project isthe development of the Steel District. The next step of this development is expanding the river greenway. The city plans to replace the low-head dam and build Lloyd Landing. That's a plaza area with a shelter, seating and a selfie station.
Funding for these projects comes from the city’s capital budget, supplemental appropriation from sales tax fund, and donations from Gary and Dianne Jacobson, the Lloyd family and T. Denny Sanford. The donations are contingent on the city approving another $3 million for these development projects.
TenHaken is hopeful the city will approve this additional funding, because he thinks the investment is worth it.
“When we invest in a park, all around a park develops. When we invest in a river greenway, all around a greenway develops. So, the economic impact is really big, but also the quality of life to have a free splash park for kids to come downtown and a handicap accessible playground for people of all abilities to use at no cost. It’s great for our residents.”
Additionally, TenHaken thinks these projects will be beneficial for Sioux Falls’ tourism.
“We just had numbers come out this week that we’re a leader in the state for tourism,” he said. “And there’s several things people comment on a lot, but one of the things they talk about is our river greenway and the bike trail along the river and that experience downtown.”
The Jacobson Plaza and river greenway will open in early 2025.
