Just when you thought our tax dollars for Parks and Rec couldn’t be spent on something more ridiculous, another special interest steps to the plate;
One organization is hoping to bring a whitewater park to Sioux Falls.
Mitchell Joldersma is the president of Sioux Falls Whitewater Park. His organization is looking to clean up the Lien Park riverfront to bring a whitewater park to the city.
The group was at Lien Park today in a clean up effort along the river. Joldersma says they want to make the river clean so that more people will get out and enjoy it.
While the concept of a whitewater park may be new to the Sioux Falls area, they are gaining popularity across the country. A whitewater park has either one or multiple features of water shooting down hydraulics and makes waves to either surf or tube down.
The group’s board members are setting up a raffle to help fund the cost of the park. The raffle will start in December and run through June of 2015.
Once the logistics of the park come together, Joldersma says they will present the plans to the Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation board. From there, they will decide how to move forward.
I will give the group credit, they went and cleaned the area themselves, are trying to raise money for the project privately and are putting a plan together on their own. Have at it. But like most things that involve our public parks, the Parks department will be ponying something up for the project, make no mistake, so another special interest group of a very small percentile can have their play things. I don’t fault the group, that is normal operating procedure with the Parks Department, they love growing their budget, especially after taking a hit last night on the old ice rec center closure.
Just over the last couple of years the city has either spent or budgeted for;
Pickleball courts
Indoor Tennis
Indoor Pool
Kayak launches
Dog Parks
You get the gist. Yet, as a lady with MS testified last night at the city council meeting, plenty of money to entertain ‘dogs’ but no money for Paratransit. I wonder if SAM will have a bus route and boat racks on their buses so people can go rafting at Lien park?
You know – one of the basic principles of the foundation of our nation is the protection of the rights of the MINORITY (however small – even only one person) from the tyranny of the MAJORITY – right?
Yes, Ruf, I am sure our founding fathers were thinking about Pickleball and White Water rafting when they drafted those principles.
What’s lacking is white water. They can clean along the river but the river itself is one of the most toxic in the nation.
Everyone should know by now this could never be unless it’s the city’s idea. How dare they present something more popular & practical than pickleball.
What are our priorities? The lady with MS is right on. How embarrassing that we slight those with a true need. P.S. What is pickleball? Is it as exciting as “curling” (blech!)
Hey!! You’re the one that threw out the magic word “minority”. I’m just sayin’.
those tyrannical handicapped people, wanting a decent transit system, at the expense of the white water rafters.
Pickle ball is a “sport” kinda like tennis. It is for those too old, or too slow, or too uncoordinated for the real thing. In other words, a “sport” with mmm in mind.
Playing in the river below John Morrell’s sounds pretty gross, but whatever.
Wave pool next?
Thank you.