Simplified: As the parks department completes its master plan for the next five years, the city is looking for more authority to increase park fees without City Council approval – as well as a more strategic approach citywide to what costs money to use, and what doesn't.

Why it matters

  • Parks department fee discussions came up Tuesday afternoon when department leadership briefed the council on its new five-year master plan. One key goal of the plan is long-term sustainability, which includes a goal to "modernize the pricing policy."
  • Sioux Falls doesn't currently have a pricing policy – essentially a tiered system for looking at when the goal of the city is to recoup costs versus providing free amenities, but as many as 95% of park systems do, according to Assistant Parks Director Brett Kollars.
  • The lack of a set policy here means many fees haven't been adjusted in 20 to 25 years, Kollars added. It doesn't mean the public will have to start paying more to use all park amenities, though, Director Don Kearney said, adding that it'll be a priority to make sure those most in need still have access.
"We don’t want to create barriers," Kearney said. "But we also want to make sure that what we’re offering is sustainable so that we can continue to support operations, because they are expensive to operate."

What else is in the master plan?

Councilors didn't get to see the full plan just yet. It's expected to be released to the public next week when the parks board gets to see it and vote on it next Tuesday.

The council did get an overview of the plan, including a look at its five main goals, which include:

  • Long-term sustainability (e.g. finding ways to increase revenue through fees, donations, corporate sponsorships, etc.)
  • Exceptional customer experience (e.g. more community partnerships and continued community feedback)
  • Year-round recreation – including long-term plans for as many as six city-owned indoor recreation facilities over the next two decades
  • Equitable access to parks and facilities
  • Maintaining and growing infrastructure (i.e. taking care of the park amenities we already have as a city).

Councilors did express some concerns about the extent to which the city should be providing indoor recreation – especially when there are so many private gyms in town.

"This question is going to come across as sarcastic because it kind of is," Councilor Richard Thomason said to parks department leadership. "When do we just offer to buy Anytime Fitness and GreatLife when we're going into the exact same areas that they're in – if we're going to get into the indoor weight lifting, indoor fitness program space?"

Councilor Rich Merkouris said he also isn't on board with that extent of indoor recreation, but said he agrees with "75% of the plan."

Councilors also had questions about big projects previously mentioned by the parks department that did not come up in the master plan review. Those include:

What happens next?

The city is hosting an open house at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Center, which is an opportunity for the public to come and learn about the master plan.

The plan will then move to the parks board for approval before moving on to the City Council in early November.