Simplified: It feels trite to say a "lot of stuff happened" over the course of an entire year, but it's also true that a lot of stuff happened in Sioux Falls this year. And before we dive into a new year with its own triumphs, challenges, weather events and weird cultural moments, it only seems right to reflect on how far we've come as a community in 2024.

What did happen this year?

Let's break it down by category, for the sake of organization, starting with some city news.

Riverline District progress

It was early February when Mayor Paul TenHaken first unveiled the vision to build a new convention center on the Riverline District property downtown – nearly a year after it was initially pitched as the site for a potential sports stadium.

  • That conversation progressed with the City Council approving $8 million to purchase the land, which just this week got a green light from the Riverline Steering Committee.
    • Don't be surprised if a public vote on whether to move forward with a convention center in that space is set (or has already occurred) by this time next year.

Big changes on City Council

In April, the City Council turned over half of its members and welcomed four newcomers: Miranda Basye, Jennifer Sigette, Ryan Spellerberg, and Richard Thomason (who won a run-off election against Jordan Deffenbaugh two weeks later.)

Small wins for childcare, but mostly waiting

The City Council started the year talking about the importance of acting quickly in helping solve the childcare crisis in Sioux Falls, but at the end of the year it's still been a lot more talk than action on that front.

  • Likely the biggest win on the city front was a new $450,000 scholarship fund to help cover the costs of an associate degree for students pursuing early childhood education.
  • Beyond that, it's been a lot of waiting – largely because the city is waiting on the state.

We also learned thousands of kids who are eligible to receive childcare assistance are missing out on that opportunity. Councilors have asked the state and legislature to take a look at regulatory changes/law changes that could help make that program more accessible.

Growth, and lots of it

Here's a list of just some of the current and future development projects discussed in the city this year:

Some heartwarming news along the way

Sioux Fallsians have a way of showing up when there's a need, and that was no different this year.

  • A Little Help. The inaugural Sioux Falls Simplified 'A Little Help' campaign raised $5,000 for Journey of Hope, a nonprofit that provides hygiene products for those in need, as well as art therapy for incarcerated kids.
  • A truly rad namesake. Sioux Falls is now home to one of the largest skate parks in the country, but it's not named after a famous skater or a big donor. It's named after a middle school teacher whose love for her students resonates decades later.
  • A call for inclusion. When a 12-year-old girl was denied access to sing backup for Foreigner with her choir mates because she uses a wheelchair, the community rallied behind her in support.
  • A life remembered. Sioux Falls community members also came together late this summer to host a funeral for an infant who was found abandoned at the recycling center. A number of local organizations and religious leaders then banded together to give the child a proper memorial – and even a name.

Also, some weird stuff

Remember the mosquitoes? Or the 911 outage? Or learning the word "Lallycooler"? Or that time we all got really excited about P!nk, and she flaked?

What happens next?

Let's circle back on this after the new year. ;)