Splash pad, other improvements now in place at Hayward Park

When the Sioux Falls City Council saw a presentation about Hayward Park's new master plan in 2021, it called the park's current features "dated" and "disconnected." And now, ahead of the summer months, the park has been updated.

Last Friday, a bevy of improvements aimed at changing that were finally completed, including a new playground, a splash pad, a dog park and a new walking loop that connects the various parts of the park, according to a release from the city.

“Quality of life investments are what set a community apart, and it’s important they’re made across Sioux Falls for all residents to enjoy,” said Mayor Paul TenHaken in the release. “These improvements to Hayward Park create a positive and energized community gathering space that didn’t exist before."

The spray park has been discussed throughout the process as a significant boon to the neighborhood. The closest recreational water had previously been Kuehn Pool, which would be about an hour's walk from the area, and would require crossing 12th Street and Skunk Creek.

"It's just not realistic for our students to use that water," said Derek Maassen, the principal of Hayward Elementary School at a 2021 council meeting.

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The cost of the improvements came to $2.2 million, and was another example of a city project achieved through a public-private partnership, this one including Leadership Sioux Falls, the Promising Futures Fund, the Sioux Falls School District and the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Splash pad, other improvements now in place at Hayward Park