The Falls inspires pro-skater's design for Sioux Falls' next skatepark

The cascading water at The Falls, the cliffs that bank the Big Sioux River and the open area below the rock formations will be mimicked in the design of Sioux Falls' next skatepark.

That's according to the Sioux Falls Skatepark Association (SFSA), which hired professional skateboarder and skatepark designer Kanten Russell to mock up designs for what would be the city's first-ever all-concrete skatepark.

"It will have concrete bowls, concrete obstacles, stair sets, and the runs will be designed to flow together so you can continually skate as opposed to skating one obstacle and then having to turn around," SFSA co-founder Walter Portz told the Argus Leader Monday. 

Previously:Sioux Falls skaters take first step toward downtown skate park

The vision for a professional-grade skatepark to serve as an alternative to the the city's two existing slabs — which have a few obstacles placed on top of them, rather than built in — hatched more than two years ago. Since then, Portz and other members have raised enough funds to hire Russell, a San Diego native who's designed and built skateparks across the globe, to come up with designs for the Sioux Falls park.

Portz said the designer studied the features of Falls Park before conceiving the layout of the skatepark.

"The bowls are at the top, which would be where the water collects at The Falls before it goes over," Portz said. "And there are all these little terraces that come down, mimicking the falls."

The park will also incorporate quartzite rock and other landscaping elements that mirror natural features in Falls Park.

Initially, SFSA wanted to build a skatepark somewhere downtown, having eyed some land that runs below the 10th Street viaduct. Portz said after deeming that location unsuitable due to the bridge scheduled to be replaced sometime in the next decade or two, the group worked with the city to find an alternative location.

Eventually, an open area at Nelson Park between the Drake Springs Family Aquatic Center and the intersection of 10th Street and Cliff Avenue was decided upon, and this summer, the Parks and Recreation Department amended its parks master plan to reflect the location.

Mike Patten, a park development specialist for the city, said the topography of the northeast area of Nelson Park, with a hill sloping up to the corner, lends itself well to the layout of the skatepark.

Designs also call for a connection between the skatepark and the aquatic center where families can convene.

"We thought about how some families have kids have that go to the pool and others go to the skatepark," Patten said, referring to a plaza area where parents would be able to keep an eye on both facilities from one location.

Portz said constructing the park is estimated to cost about $1.5 million, to be covered through privately-raised money. And SFSA hopes the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will assist in reaching that fundraising goal.

Each year, the Chamber selects a pair of nonprofit organization projects to support through its Chamber Appeals program. Portz said SFSA is optimistic the skatepark could be selected for the program next year.

The group is also pursuing financial support through the Tony Hawk Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the iconic skater who made the sport of skateboarding mainstream in the 1990s.

"Skateparks typically take four to seven years by the time you go through all the details, building codes, fundraising. That’s kind of the typical time frame," Portz said. "But we would love to have the park completed in fall 2022 or summer of 2023."