City of Sioux Falls To Purchase West Side Wellness Center

Sioux Falls, looking to make up for a shortfall in indoor recreation space in the city, is buying a wellness facility on the west side of town.

The city intends to purchase the Sanford Tea-Ellis Wellness Center (8701 West 32nd Street) and transform it into an indoor recreation facility, which will potentially include 'indoor aquatics, court sports, multi-generational fitness activities, indoor walking/running, a variety of recreational programs and classes, and community gathering spaces'.

The price tag for the 70,000-square-foot building is $9 million. The purchase is contingent on the approval of the Aquatics Bond, which the City Council will vote on in May.

The target date for the city to take over operations of the center is December 31 of this year. Under an agreement with Sanford Health, the healthcare provider would retain a leased space for its physical therapy services within the facility.

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Currently, Sioux Falls falls short of the National Recreation and Park Association recommendation of 1.5 square feet of indoor recreation space per capita.

The announcement comes as the city is also planning to replace aging public pools at Frank Olson and Kuehn Park.

The total estimated cost for all three projects is $77 million.

10 South Dakota Myths Even Some Natives Believe

Have you ever notice how much outsiders (and some insiders) get wrong about South Dakota? They believe and repeat some of these ridiculous South Dakota stereotypes.

SO, to do our part in educating folks, here's a list of some of the most ridiculous myths outsiders always believe South Dakota.

Gallery Credit: Andy Gott

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The 10 Largest Occupations in Sioux Falls

Where do people in Sioux Falls work? If this was fifty years ago the average Sioux Fallsian worked in some industrial, meat packing, or farm-related position. Sioux Falls has also been the major regional medical center for decades.

Customer service and other retail-related jobs have always been a part of the Sioux Empire's economy. But in recent years those industries have become major employers.

If you live in Sioux Falls, there's a pretty good chance you work one of these jobs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the top 10 largest occupations in Sioux Falls (as of 2022).

Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns

Categories: Articles, News, Newsletter KYBB, Sioux Falls, South Dakota