Dreaming Big at The Quarry

It's been a few months. Thank you for still being here.

A small moment downtown

On Thursday morning, I ran into an old friend downtown. He teaches at Jefferson High School now, and he was walking a group of students to a career day field trip. We said hello, caught up for a minute, and went our separate ways.

As they walked off, I heard one of his students ask him, "Wait, you know Vince Danh?"

It made me smile. Then it stuck with me for the rest of the day, and not because of my name.

When we ran this year, the goal was bigger than one seat. It was to bring more people to the table and make local government feel a little less far away. That includes our young people. If a few high schoolers on a field trip know that regular people from their own city run for office, maybe that table is already getting bigger.

That's what Rising Together is for. Plain talk about what's happening in Sioux Falls. Real ways to show up. And a place for you to be heard. No campaign. No party. Just our city.

So it felt right that my first stop was a place where Sioux Falls was being asked to dream.

A second life for the old quarry

On Thursday evening, I headed to 1110 N. Weber Ave. for Dream Big at The Quarry.

The Quarry at The Falls is the old quarry just east of Falls Park. Starting in the 1880s, workers cut Sioux Quartzite out of the ground here. That pink stone helped build some of our most important buildings, like the Old Courthouse Museum, the Federal Building and the Washington Pavilion. Over time, the pit filled with water, and nature started to come back.

Now it's getting a second life. A $15 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, announced by the city and the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation this summer, will help turn it into a place for all of us.

Neighbors, families and city staff gathered outside the old warehouse at 1110 N. Weber Ave.

They handed us the crayons

What stood out to me most was how this was run. It wasn't a ribbon cutting. It was an invitation.

Inside the old warehouse, there were history boards, drone photos of the site and "this or that" boards where you could vote on ideas. Nature play or an obstacle course. Kayaks or paddle boats. A path along the ground or a boardwalk.

Residents weighed in on "this or that" boards for recreation and play.

The kids got a giant map of the site and a pile of crayons. Their ideas included a swimming pool, floating saunas, a zipline over the water, a boardwalk and, my favorite, safe road crossings. Somebody is already thinking like a city planner.

The kids' map. Pools, a zipline, a boardwalk and safe road crossings.

Cory and the team behind the event brought in local vendors, free food, live music and activities for families. It felt like a neighborhood block party with a purpose.

Etta and the Vendetta kept the evening moving.

Mayor Christine Erickson said she wants Sioux Falls to dream big. She also said that's why it mattered to invite the community in from the very beginning, especially nearby neighborhoods like Whittier.

The evening closed with a line I keep coming back to. Today wasn't about unveiling a finished plan or design. It was about listening, and figuring out how we can dream together and create something for all of us.

That's the right order. Listen first. Build second.

Add your ideas

Couldn't make it? You can still have a say. Scan the QR code on the event postcards or go to engage.thinkconfluence.com/the-quarry and tell them what you'd like to see. I'll share new chances to weigh in here as the city announces them.

Your next seat at the table

The Quarry is one example of something you'll hear from me a lot. Our city works better when more of us are in the room early.

Your next chance is coming up soon. Mayor Erickson is holding Sioux Falls Listens sessions during her first 100 days.

• Wednesday, Oct. 21: Arts and resident experience
• Thursday, Nov. 5: Business community
• Thursday, Nov. 12: Economic development

All three run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Levitt at the Falls, 504 N. Phillips Ave. A town hall follows on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Cherapa Place. If you can't make it in person, you can share your thoughts online.

Pick one. Bring a neighbor. Bring a teenager. I hope to see you there.

If you want this kind of update in your inbox, sign up for The Rise below.

It's always been our city, and now is our moment. Let's rise together.

Sources

• City Receives Grant to Revitalize The Quarry, City of Sioux Falls, July 7, 2026
• The Quarry, City of Sioux Falls Parks
• How a $15 million grant will fund a new downtown destination, Sioux Falls Simplified
• Sioux Falls Listens, Office of the Mayor