SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Changes are coming to the city’s namesake park.
Crews have been installing new signs at Falls Park ahead of Winter Wonderland which officially opens on Friday. On Thursday, the city is also having a Falls Park Master Plan open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Startup Sioux Falls’ MarketBeat Theater on Sixth Street.
You can see the new signs that say “The Falls” being installed along Phillips Avenue and instead the park.
According to a news release from the city, the Falls Park Master Plan “aims to make meaningful changes to Falls Park in the next few decades to create a signature park that attracts visitors from afar, while also being a beloved local destination.”
“The master plan addresses topics like traffic circulation and safety in the park, expanding recreational opportunities and all-season programming, the water quality of the river, preserving the history and natural beauty of the park, and enhancing the heart of the park,” the city said.
The process started in 2021 with the city holding a design competition and awarding the master plan design to Confluence Landscape Architecture.
In March 2022, Confluence presented ideas of a design plan that included incorporating the nearby Quarry Lake into Falls Park, while moving some Smithfield parking lots and designing a new East Bank entrance to Falls Park. Other ideas include zipline experiences at Quarry Lake, land bridge connections, creating a “great lawn” space, allowing for development on the park’s edge and connecting better to nearby neighborhoods.
In a few months, Jacobson Plaza at Falls Park and the ice skating ribbon and warming house are expected to open along Phillips Avenue north of Steel District and Levitt at the Falls.
“The Falls Park Master Plan is a grand vision, with big ideas, that are rooted in community input,” Don Kearney, Director of Parks and Recreation said in a news release.
More details about the Falls Park Master Plan are expected to be released later this week.
