The Wellmark Foundation has chosen entities in Pierre and Burke to each receive a $100,000 grant– if they can secure $100,000 in matching funds by August 25, 2021.
Pierre’s Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant funds will be used for the Outdoor Pool Replacement Project, while Fitness on Main in Burke has designated its funds for installation of a Splash Pad as part of a larger park project.
Mary Lawyer, executive director for The Wellmark Foundation, says both towns are planning projects that can help individuals, families and communities achieve better health through initiatives that encourage physical activity. She says both of these projects have the potential to make positive, long-term impacts on the overall health and well-being of community members.
The Pierre Outdoor Pool Replacement Project will replace the city’s 90-year-old outdoor public pool with a modern family-friendly pool that will provide recreation, fitness, social and educational opportunities for all community members. The outdoor pool replacement plan, developed by a volunteer citizen committee, includes a 50-meter multi-purpose pool, a recreational pool, and a lazy river, as well as slides, a diving tower, water walk, children’s water platform, shade structures and zero-depth entry. Not only will these features bring families to the pool for a day of fun and exercise, but they will provide wellness opportunities to people of all ages, including those with injuries, disabilities and medical conditions.
Fitness on Main’s Burke Splash Pad installation is Phase I of a long-term City Park project that includes plans for accessible trails, restrooms, a pavilion, public art and updated green spaces. The community has a renewed interest in making the City Park more up-to-date, accessible and exciting for kids, families and community members of all ages and abilities. The splash pad will provide community members a safe, outdoor play space for many years and lead to interest in the park and outdoor recreation in Burke.
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