City considers powwow grounds site

Floodplain issues cloud choice

By Scott Aust, Journal staff | Thursday, September 13, 2007

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

RAPID CITY -- If floodplain issues can be worked out, a proposed outdoor Native American art market and powwow grounds may eventually be built south of New York Street near The Journey Museum.

For the past year, the Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates, a nonprofit organization representing all nine Native American tribes in South Dakota, has worked with Wyss Associates on the facility's design.

After reviewing several potential sites for the facility, a location south of The Journey was the group's top choice.

Matt Fridell, registered landscape architect with Wyss Associates, said the preferred site has high visibility, provides synergy with other land uses nearby such as The Journey and Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, and locating close to Rapid Creek is culturally "right" for this type of facility.

"We know this site will work for the project proposed," he said. 

The centerpiece of the market is an open-air arena fronted by a stage and surrounded by an earthen berm creating natural seating for people to view storytellers, demonstrations and performances about Native American culture and history.

The facility will include an art market where the public can watch and talk to artists as they work, buy artwork and merchandise, and eat Native American food such as buffalo burgers and buffalo stew.

However, there are floodplain issues that must be addressed before the project moves forward. Fridell said the site is out of the floodway but within the 100 year floodplain.

Alderman Bill Okrepkie expressed concerns about the floodplain issues, noting that a floodplain policy committee is currently studying whether the city should revise what is allowed to be built within the floodplain, something that may affect the proposed powwow site.

"I don't want you to spend a lot of money figuring where you want to go, and then we make a policy statement that we're going to be very careful what goes in these areas," he said.

Pat Wyss said hydrology is one of the unanswered questions about the site. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is studying hydrology in that area and expects to release its study in December. He said the next step of the process, if the city approves of the site, is to answer floodplain issues.

"This site will only be workable if it's compatible with the recommendations of the floodplain committee and the FEMA evaluation of this site," Wyss said. "Part of the hydrology study will be will it work with this facility or not."

The city set aside $812,000 for the project in the current 2012 plan.

The public works committee on Tuesday asked tribal alliance to get formal input from the boards of The Journey Museum and Rushmore Plaza Civic Center and then come back to the committee for further discussion.

"I'm okay with this site if the hydrology study comes back okay, but I don't think we can say that and commit at this point. We all know how controversial floodplain issues can be," Alderman Sam Kooiker said. "I want to make sure there's broad buy in and no one can say they didn't have an opportunity to address issues they might have."

Alderman Lloyd LaCroix said he believes putting the powwow grounds in that area, near the creek, makes good sense from a cultural perspective, but the floodway issue is a concern.

Alderman Tom Johnson said it's almost a "chicken-and-the-egg" situation. Do you say the site is okay before you find out the floodplain issues, or do you wait for the floodplain issues to be resolved before you decide on the site, he asked.

"I have a concern about accepting a site before you know that it's acceptable," he said. "We open ourselves to tremendous criticism if we just say this site is OK, then come back and somebody else says you guys are stupid. I think we hear that enough without asking for more."

Contact Scott Aust at 394-8415 or scott.aust@rapidcityjournal.com