A few months ago I posed the question of what the city would do with the ice center. I even suggested if they don’t sell it, they could use it for a new city services building, or even better yet, team up with Lincoln & Minnehaha county to offer services.
At the time a city councilor told me that the city wants to sit on it until they run 49th street straight through to Western Avenue, then sell it for development.
Not such a bad idea, but in the same breath, this person told me that the Glory House was interested in expansion and wanted to purchase the property.
I think that would be a fantastic use for the land. Besides, the Glory House isn’t going anywhere, so why not expand at that location? I guess the city has refused sale to them. Seems puzzling that the city has no problem with the expansion of the Arch in a residential neighborhood and the same with a homeless shelter, but a facility that is not very close to residential housing and helps ex convicts back on their feet the city would refuse. Hopefully the council can put pressure on to help this sale go through.
Parking is NOT an issue?
Recently a Spellerberg neighborhood resident when to an open house at the new Aquatic center, they asked what was going to be done to the open ball field area. They were told the parks department was going to try to budget for expanded parking in that area. If this conversation took place and is true, this goes against what was promised with the green space left at Spellerberg. But no surprise with the chain of lies that has come with building this facility. This place will be more cursed than King Tut’s Tomb.
Bring on the Trailer (Foundation) Parks!
There has been a lot of talk about affordable housing in Sioux Falls lately. I have told people if we don’t start tackling the problem aggressively right now, we will be in a crisis mode in 4-5 years. Even with rumors the only reason the city is changing the discrimination laws when it comes to housing is to get more HUD money, one wonder what are plans are?
Foundation Park wants to bring in 40,000 workers. Where will they come from? Where will they live? While we hope these will be all living wage jobs, we know that living wage housing will be cramped. That only leaves us with building enormous apartment complexes, twin homes and more trailer parks. While Foundation Park is a great idea, there doesn’t seem to be much thought going into housing for the workers.