Why do Friends care about billboards?

Fully one third of our municipal parks lie in the towering shadow or flickering lights of a billboard. From swings and sliding boards, from gazebos and flower gardens, the view exhorts us to eat, drink, buy, sell, visit and vote. Friends of Rapid City Parks thinks the view within a municipal park should be framed by trees, clouds and the … Read More

SDPB to produce television documentary on 1972 flood

South Dakota Public Broadcasting will begin taping this June for a documentary on the 1972 Flood to be aired on the 40th anniversary next year. If you lived in Rapid City during the flood and are willing to tell your story, SDPB wants to interview you. According to reporter Charles Michael Ray, the video documentary will also examine new USGS … Read More

Pitch In on Rapid City Clean-up Day

Earth Day isn’t just one day a year. Help Rapid City clean up this spring during a week long “city pride” event that includes recycling, parks clean-ups, and other events. You can read more about it here.

Candidate Forum Time Rolls Around Again

Friends of Rapid City Parks will host two candidate forums this year in order to provide ample time for both city council and mayoral candidates to present their views and answer questions. The 2011 city council candidate forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 31 at the Dahl Arts Center.  A second event to showcase candidates for Mayor will … Read More

Comments on Founders Projects Invited at Open House

The Rapid City Parks and Recreation Department has extended the following invitation: You are invited to an Open House to view and comment on proposed improvements to the Rapid City Greenway Trails and Park System Project. The improvements include bike path and pedestrian path improvements near the Central States Fairgrounds, SDSM&T, Founders Park and Executive Golf Course. The project also … Read More

“Pave Paradise, Put up a Parking Lot”

In the immortal words of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” song, FRCP has some concerns about paving more of Rapid City’s green ribbon to accommodate parking. When the greenway is so popular that we have to cover it with parking spaces in order to enjoy it, we are in danger of loving our town’s most precious feature to death. Friends … Read More