Downtown park could feature ice skating rink
Council also considers new park on northeast side
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, November 06, 2007
SIOUX CITY -- A proposed park built south of the Battery Building downtown could feature a skating rink for use during the winter and an amphitheater for use during the rest of the year, the City Council heard Monday.
"The committee is talking about making this an all-season park," Mayor Craig Berenstein said during discussion of how the city should spend $2.2 million from the Ruth Cone Trust.
His comments came during the Cone Park Committee's presentation on two types of parks the city could build with the money willed to the city by Ruth Cone, widow of a prominent cattle buyer.
The council will be asked at its Nov.19 meeting to create a committee to proceed with park planning. City Manager Paul Eckert said he envisioned the committee would mirror the Tyson Events Center Executive Committee, which oversaw design and construction of the Tyson Center.
In addition to the urban park, Terry Hoffman, parks and recreation manager, said the committee narrowed down the list to building a new park in the northeast part of Sioux City on land now in private ownership. The city owns the land south of the Battery Building at 232 Water St.
"There is a consensus of the (Cone) committee to create a downtown urban park," Terry Hoffman said. "We believe it will assist in the progress we're making downtown."
In addition to containing fountains, a major component of the park would be an ice skating rink, benches, sculptures and a shelter house. A small amphitheater would be built, although it would be much smaller than the Bandshell at Grandview Park.
"I have a concern about the amphitheater," Councilman Jim Rixner said. "It's so close to the Anderson Dance Pavilion. We have that already."
Berenstein replied, "That's a fair comment. But, this location, with the redesign of Interstate 29 and Wesley Parkway, would give us these new features and we would have a direct walkway to the riverfront."
Virginia Anderson, a committee member, said the Sioux City Growth Organization, to which she belongs, favors the water park idea.
"We see that Third Street will be a big corridor for downtown. We don't have an entryway now," she said.
Councilman Brent Hoffman asked about the design of a what was labeled a "Riverside-like" park. Terry Hoffman said that larger park would be built on the city's northeast border, containing basketball courts, picnic shelters and perhaps a swimming pool. That site, which he did not name, could serve as a boon to construction of new houses around it.
Marty Dougherty, economic development director, said, "I do believe the concepts of both parks are supportive of economic development."
Mike Keane, a Cone committee member who serves on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, said that while he sees the merits of building a downtown park, "I think the city would get more bang for its buck to build a north side park. ... It would be a 100-acre park vs. 2 to 5 acres downtown. I think we should do both. I think the issue is which one should get the Cone dollars."
Rixner said of the downtown location, "This is accessible to everybody. You can walk to it, bike to it, drive to it or take the bus. That alone makes it very attractive to me."
Berenstein said committee members have talked to unnamed community leaders to find out if they would help foot the bill to build the urban park since the cost would exceed the $2.2 million left to the city. He said there is community support for a fundraising campaign.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynnzerschling@lee.net
"The committee is talking about making this an all-season park," Mayor Craig Berenstein said during discussion of how the city should spend $2.2 million from the Ruth Cone Trust.
His comments came during the Cone Park Committee's presentation on two types of parks the city could build with the money willed to the city by Ruth Cone, widow of a prominent cattle buyer.
The council will be asked at its Nov.19 meeting to create a committee to proceed with park planning. City Manager Paul Eckert said he envisioned the committee would mirror the Tyson Events Center Executive Committee, which oversaw design and construction of the Tyson Center.
In addition to the urban park, Terry Hoffman, parks and recreation manager, said the committee narrowed down the list to building a new park in the northeast part of Sioux City on land now in private ownership. The city owns the land south of the Battery Building at 232 Water St.
"There is a consensus of the (Cone) committee to create a downtown urban park," Terry Hoffman said. "We believe it will assist in the progress we're making downtown."
In addition to containing fountains, a major component of the park would be an ice skating rink, benches, sculptures and a shelter house. A small amphitheater would be built, although it would be much smaller than the Bandshell at Grandview Park.
"I have a concern about the amphitheater," Councilman Jim Rixner said. "It's so close to the Anderson Dance Pavilion. We have that already."
Berenstein replied, "That's a fair comment. But, this location, with the redesign of Interstate 29 and Wesley Parkway, would give us these new features and we would have a direct walkway to the riverfront."
Virginia Anderson, a committee member, said the Sioux City Growth Organization, to which she belongs, favors the water park idea.
"We see that Third Street will be a big corridor for downtown. We don't have an entryway now," she said.
Councilman Brent Hoffman asked about the design of a what was labeled a "Riverside-like" park. Terry Hoffman said that larger park would be built on the city's northeast border, containing basketball courts, picnic shelters and perhaps a swimming pool. That site, which he did not name, could serve as a boon to construction of new houses around it.
Marty Dougherty, economic development director, said, "I do believe the concepts of both parks are supportive of economic development."
Mike Keane, a Cone committee member who serves on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, said that while he sees the merits of building a downtown park, "I think the city would get more bang for its buck to build a north side park. ... It would be a 100-acre park vs. 2 to 5 acres downtown. I think we should do both. I think the issue is which one should get the Cone dollars."
Rixner said of the downtown location, "This is accessible to everybody. You can walk to it, bike to it, drive to it or take the bus. That alone makes it very attractive to me."
Berenstein said committee members have talked to unnamed community leaders to find out if they would help foot the bill to build the urban park since the cost would exceed the $2.2 million left to the city. He said there is community support for a fundraising campaign.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynnzerschling@lee.net
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