The problem is that this “solution” cuts out a public process called for by state law: namely a vote of the people to decide whether stewards of public land can give it away to private interests who can afford to throw considerable money on the table.
Friends Documents Promise to Return Eighth Street Tennis Court to Greenway
8 April 2014 Terry Wolterstorff, P.E. Director Department of Public Works City of Rapid City By E-mail (with 5 attachments) Dear Mr. Wolterstorff: Please accept our apology for the delay in providing you the attached background information on prior events and circumstances related to the tennis courts at Eighth Street. We incorrectly assumed that the notion of using the Memorial … Read More
Comprehensive Plan Draft Features Value and Contribution of Parks
After nine months of documentation, background research, public meetings, drafts and revisions, the final product of the Rapid City Comprehensive Plan update is on its way to decision makers. An important guiding tool such as this would usually be kept up to date every five to 10 years, but aside from some subsections, our city’s plan has not been refreshed … Read More
Omaha Street Reconstruction Planned for 2016
The Rapid Creek greenway and the creek itself may gain some benefits from planned improvements to Omaha Street from Mountain View Road to 12th Street. The main purpose of the project, outlined Monday night at a public meeting in city hall, is to upgrade the road surface, which according to project engineers, “is at the end of its useful life.” … Read More
Rapid City’s Ribbon of Green: the Million Dollar View
The value of Nature works not just for tree huggers. In this recent post on Houzz, Mitchell Parker explains why green space enhances our health, well-being, and our pocketbooks. Those who attended talks by parks and economic development expert John Crompton in Rapid City in 2012 and 2013 may recall hearing about many of the same studies. We enjoyed reading … Read More
Parks to Parking Lots, Don’t it always seem to go?
The mission statement of Friends of Rapid City Parks is “To ensure that Rapid City area parks are managed in a way that preserves, protects and promotes this legacy for future generations.” Future generations won’t thank us for a legacy of striped asphalt. And Friends has been opposing turning sacred ground into parking spaces since its founding in 2005. We … Read More
Hello Class of 2014: Our parks need a couple good Friends
Prospectus for High Schools Friends of Rapid City Parks are seeking second semester juniors who are interested in completing a community service project. Selected student(s) would work with the FRCP Memory Walk committee (board members and executive director) to plan, develop, cooperate, publicize and carry out the Third Annual Memory Walk commemorating the 1972 Flood. The purpose of the annual … Read More
Memory Walk Elicits Recollections of 1972
The best part of the walk along Rapid Creek last Sunday was not the gorgeous weather or even the snazzy, high tech QR codes. The best part of the Memory Walk along Rapid Creek was listening to the memories of people who experienced the tragedy of the flood on June 9, 1972. Thanks to Keith Johnson, Bonnie Newnum, Del Beck, … Read More
Bike Path interpretive signs to get tech update
When Friends of Rapid City parks hosts the second annual “Memory Walk” this Sunday to commemorate the 1972 flood, and celebrate the legacy of parks that city leaders built from its destruction, walkers will have a chance to look forward as well as back. During the stroll of about 2 miles from Sioux Park to the bridge at Omaha Street … Read More