Photo caption: The Spearfish Community Foundation presented a check to the City Monday to complete the wayfinding project on the rec path from Salem Park north to Evans Park and from City Park east to Exit 14. Volunteers who assisted with the AARP Community Challenge grant, which jumpstarted the project, were also recognized Monday. Photo courtesy City of Spearfish
SPEARFISH, SD – The Spearfish Community Foundation (SCF) is providing a $10,319 grant to the City to complete the wayfinding project on the rec path from Salem Park north to Evans Park and from City Park east to Exit 14.
Parks and Recreation Director Tyler Ehnes explained the SCF, which allocates funds to communitywide nonprofit and charitable organizations in Spearfish, reached out to the Parks Department about any projects it could help fund in 2022. At the same time, Parks staff were working with volunteers on an AARP Community Challenge grant to make improvements along its rec path, and knowing that grant would only fund about half of the overall project, Ehnes thought it would be a great opportunity to partner with the SCF to finish the project.
Kari Engen, SCF grant coordinator and board member, described this grant is the first awarded under the foundation’s new “Impacting Tomorrow Together” initiative.
“As Spearfish continues to grow, usage of the rec path by local residents and visitors of all ages and abilities also increases,”
she said. “Enhancing the rec path through this project aligns with SCF’s mission and ‘Impacting Tomorrow Together’ initiative focus areas (such as physical and mental health, recreation, public safety, youth, and seniors). We are proud to be the local endowment that addresses the needs of our community and partners with other community organizations to continue making Spearfish a better place to work, live, work, visit, and play.”
Sue Konstant, president of the SCF Board of Directors, thanked the local AARP volunteers, the City, and other community leaders who initiated the first phase of the rec path wayfinding project and explained the foundation’s new initiative includes partnering with other community entities and awarding larger grants to fewer projects to make a bigger community impact.
“SCF looks forward to both phases of the rec path wayfinding project’s successes that include escalating the social and economic well-being across the Spearfish community while creating a healthier and better community – not only for the near future but for future generations,
” she said. “And just maybe, when people see how SCF’s grants make a difference in our community, it will propel a whole new generation of philanthropists for our Spearfish community!
”
Parks and Recreation Director Ehnes described the wayfinding signage for the second phase of the project will be identical to the first phase, with the exception of the logos; AARP’s logo will be on the signs installed in the first phase, and the SCF’s logo will be on the signs installed in the second phase.
Volunteers are invited to meet at the City Park center shelter from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, September 22nd, to assist with the assembly and installation of the wayfinding signs for the first phase of the project. Parks and Recreation Director Ehnes said that the second phase signs and posts will be ordered, and if weather allows, they will be installed this fall; otherwise, they will be installed next spring.
The SCF will present the grant during Monday’s City Council Meeting at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
“We appreciate the generosity of our community and thank the Spearfish Community Foundation for this grant to complete the next phase of the wayfinding project,” Parks and Recreation Director Ehnes said.
More information about the Spearfish Community Foundation is available on its website.