Your weekend, simplified: Aug. 18, 2023
Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: Brace for a hot weekend
Status check: Are we ready for back to school? My oldest starts the three-year-old equivalent of preschool next week, and I'm feeling all kinds of feels about it. Will I be the mom to cry on the first day of school every year?? Maybe?
This weekend, I've got an update on the city's plan to make the undeveloped parking ramp more aesthetically pleasing, and we'll say goodbye to a long-time Sioux Falls museum. Plus, catch our weekly event guide and some Super Simplified Stories.
And now, news:
CITY
How a mural was selected for the downtown parking ramp
Simplified: It took 10 months, an abandoned request for proposals and a chance meeting at a downtown restaurant, but the city is now moving forward on a mural to adorn the side of the undeveloped 10th Street parking ramp.
Why it matters
- The parking ramp itself has its own complicated history (find more on that here), but talk of making "lemonade" out of lemons – as Mayor Paul TenHaken put it in a press conference Wednesday – by adding a mural started back in October of last year.
- It was around that time when the city initially put out a request for mural proposals via the Sioux Falls Arts Council. By February, the city reversed course, saying a "shared vision for one artwork could not be reached," per Sioux Falls Live.
- But when local artist Walter Portz ran into city Finance Director Shawn Pritchett at a downtown restaurant a few weeks ago, conversations about a mural restarted. On Wednesday, the city announced plans for what is believed to be the largest mural in the state at 14,000 square feet. Marketbeat is providing $30,000 to fund the project.
"I don't think anybody can look at this piece and say, 'That's controversial,'" TenHaken said of the design during Wednesday's announcement.
Tell me more about the mural
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Meet the 4 under 40. The Young Professionals Network of the Chamber of Commerce named its "4 under 40" winners on Thursday. Winners include Bethany Buitenbos, Chick-fil-A Empire Place; Erik Muckey, Lost&Found; Erik Nyberg, Cutler Law Firm; and Karlie Solum, Marsh McLennan Agency.
- Chat with councilors. Chat with members of the City Council from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the WP in the Washington Pavilion. Councilors David Barranco and Pat Starr will be available to discuss issues of concern to Sioux Falls residents.
- Starting a conversation on e-bikes. The city's Active Transportation Board tabled a proposed ordinance from Councilor Greg Neitzert to allow class two electric bicycles on city trails. Neitzert said he'd like this to start a wider discussion about what devices will be allowed on trails and whether the city is going to enforce rules it puts forth.
COMMUNITY
Great Plains Zoo closes Delbridge Museum
Simplified: The Delbridge Museum of Natural History has closed to the public, the Great Plains Zoo announced Thursday. Here's what we know.
Why it matters
- The museum – which featured a collection of taxidermy – first opened in 1984 after Sioux Falls attorney C.J. Delbridge donated it to the city. Delbridge bought the collection of animals from the estate of Sioux Falls businessman Henry Brockhouse.
- Brockhouse procured his collection between the 1940s and the 1970s. At that time, it was common to use strong chemicals in the taxidermy process, a news release from the zoo stated. As those specimen continue to age, there is more potential for chemical exposure.
- The decision also comes in the months after the zoo's merger with the Butterfly House and Aquarium. As the two nonprofits come together on one site in the coming years, they're looking at the "best use" for every area on the zoo's 40-acre campus, a news release stated.
"This difficult decision (to close) was reached after extensive discussion, research, testing, and consultations about best practices to manage aged taxidermy with experts at other reputable museums," the release stated.
What happens next?
EVENTS
Stuff to do: Aug. 17-24
- Check out Riverfest. The 10th Annual Downtown Riverfest kicks off Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Fawick Park. Find food trucks, programming for kids and live music from Spooncat and Kory and the Fireflies. More details here.
- Support artists. The Washington Pavilion is hosting an Art Collective event from 1 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It's one of the largest gatherings of local artists in Sioux Falls. More details here.
- Skate with the Dollz. The Sioux Falls Roller Dollz are coming to Skate City on Wednesday for discount skate night. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the Dollz will take the rink at 7 p.m. Details here.
- Do yoga with goats. Scheels is hosting goat yoga from 8 to 10 a.m. Sunday inside its Sioux Falls location. Show up and take a yoga class with goats from Bee Fit SD Yoga. Details here.
- Eat all the pancakes. The VFW is hosting an all you can eat pancake breakfast at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Adults pay $8, and kids under 10 pay $2 for all you can eat pancakes, sausages, eggs, coffee and juice. Proceeds go to veteran causes. More here.
- Support some brand new businesses. There are a couple of new businesses opening this weekend, including the new Farmhouse Market on Franklin Avenue and the new Seasoned Style on 10th Street.
ICYMI
More recent headlines
Sioux Falls is recycling less and putting more in the landfill
The rate of recycling – i.e. the percentage of waste that gets diverted from the landfill – has seen a steady decline over the last five years. Here’s what we know about why that’s happening.
Get a look at the new Juvenile Justice Center design
Initial designs shared this week show a more than 72,000-square-foot facility
Why big changes may be coming for public transit
The city is looking to switch things up in who provides public transit, and some City Council members have their own ideas for changes they’d like to see, as well.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this weekend:
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