SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Further progress toward the potential passage of a bond to build new recreational and aquatics facilities at Frank Olson and Kuehn Parks in Sioux Falls are contingent on the development of a plan for programs.
On November 19, the Sioux Falls City Council approved three resolutions concerning the future of aquatics and recreation in Sioux Falls.
The first was a resolution that supports a recreation and aquatics bond totaling $68 million toward design, construction and equipping facilities at Frank Olson and Kuehn Parks, as well as demolishing existing pools in those locations and renovating the existing Sanford Wellness Center purchased by the city in October.
The second resolution is intended to set parameters for the cost of the Frank Olson and Kuehn Park projects. In it, the council supports a bond with an estimated cost of $47 million for Frank Olson and $18 million for Kuehn Park.
The amount meant for Frank Olson should not vary more than 5% from the $47 million estimate, and the amount for Kuehn should not vary more than 10% from its estimate, according to the resolution.
This resolution also states that the council supports establishing an indoor recreation program plan prior to the council considering the passage of the overall bond.
The third resolution signaled support from the council for including in the recreation and aquatics bond $3 million for improvements to the existing recreation center purchased by the city in October, primarily for replacing the roof and improving the parking lot. This resolution also included the support for establishing an indoor recreation program plan before voting on the bond.
Now, the city and its citizens must wait for the indoor recreation plan to be presented and approved by the council. Per the resolutions, it will not be until that plan is established that a true vote on the full $68 million bond will be held by the council.
Delay from May continues
Originally, the plan was to vote on what was then a $77 million bond back in May of 2024, but that vote was postponed twice, first to consider fee structures, and then again to await the results of the 2024 election and the fate of a failed ballot measure that aimed to cut certain taxes in the state.
“As we’ve had more conversations, we decided it would not be prudent for us to bring this forward until after the general elections in November,” City Finance Director Shawn Pritchett said in August.
Following the election, council member Curt Soehl said he wanted to know what the total costs of the project could be, including things such as demolition.
“We’ve talked about $47 million for Frank Olson. That’s the borrowing. That’s not the cost,” he’d said in November. “The cost that is not being included in that $47 million would be demolition and other things along with that.”
