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Sioux Falls council advances Westside Recreation Center fee schedule amid affordability concerns
Summary
The City Council set a second reading for Aug. 13 on a proposed fee schedule for the new Westside Recreation Center that would change definitions, move the senior rate to 65, and project roughly $685,000 in annual taxpayer support (about 70% cost recovery). Councilors raised concerns about middle-income affordability and requested more community input before final adoption.
Brett Collars, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, presented a proposed amendment to the city—ode to add a fee schedule for the new Westside Recreation Center and recommended a second reading on Aug. 13.
The proposal adds new definitions (family, couple, senior), moves the senior definition from 55 to 65, establishes daily, monthly and annual pass categories, and outlines a summer aquatics pass that would grant access to outdoor pools (including Midco Aquatic Center) and the Westside pool. Collars said the proposal projects roughly $685,000 in annual taxpayer support and about 70% cost recovery, with total operating expenses estimated at about $2.2 million.
"The summer aquatics pass is gonna grant you access to all the outdoor pools, Midco Aquatic Center. It will now also grant you access into the pool for the Westside Recreation Center," Collars said, explaining how pass privileges would change under the new schedule.
Collars said the administration used regional market data and a 20-year CPI average to set explicit prices for the next five years, applying a 2.6% annual adjustment through 2029. He provided usage projections that the staff and consultants condensed into an overall estimate of about 26,100 annual access points, including roughly 2,593 monthly or annual passes and about 2,476 daily access points.
Councilors praised the department—or outreach and work on definitions but repeatedly questioned whether the proposed prices would leave a "donut" of middle-income households unable to afford access. Several members urged the city to "live in the space" for a season and retain the ability to revise fees.
"We need to live this space. We need to be sensitive to the market," Collars said about adjustments after the facility opens, adding that staff anticipate a shared presence with Sanford around November to smooth the transition.
Councilors asked for additional public engagement and more detail on transferability of passes between future facilities. After extended discussion, the council voted 8-0 to set a second reading for Aug. 13, 2024.
Next steps: the item is scheduled for a second reading and formal vote on Aug. 13, when councilors may adopt the ordinance, amend the fee schedule, or direct further changes.
