A vision for a park with a legacy

Memorial Park has long been the heart of Hill City’s recreation scene, serving as a space for local families, athletes and visitors. From youth sports games to football practices and picnics by Spring Creek, the park has been a fixture in the community for decades. Now, work has begun on a long-range vision to transform the space into an asset of which the community can truly be proud.

In 2023 the Hill City Common Council adopted a Memorial Park Master Plan developed by Jobman Studio Planning and Design. Reimagining the park as the “foundation of the community,” the 20-year plan envisions the park as “a place for the community and visitors alike to gather, play, recreate, relax and enjoy the Black Hills.”

Planned improvements include safer, more accessible parking, better downtown connectivity and upgrades to the sports fields and better flood management systems.

Before work could begin in areas identified as floodway, a detailed and costly flood study was required, stalling the project.

“Things kind of stalled out, but there was a lot of motivation to do something,” said Cassandra Ott, president of the Hill City Park Board.

Thanks to a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant that covered 80 percent of the cost of the study, the park board was nearing closer to setting the plan into process. However, the project was unexpectedly sidelined. The study was within a few months of being completed when it got “dodged,” said Ott. “When Elon Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) group got together, that was one of the things to go.”

With the flood study in limbo, the park board pivoted to focus on areas of the park not affected by the floodway. The first step was leveling the underutilized BMX track to make way for additional parking and a designated dog park.

The project has relied heavily on volunteer efforts to save city resources. 

“It’s been a lot of work from volunteers who have really come together and made it a beautiful thing,” said Ott.

The park’s aging playground jumped to the top of the priority list when the city’s insurance provider announced that the equipment would no longer be covered in the future. The park board jumped to action, holding a public hearing that urged community members into action. The board received letters from community members with safety concerns about the outdated playground equipment. The community concern, along with a $35,000 grant from The Burke Foundation, encouraged the city to purchase modern playground equipment that is expected to be installed in early July with a tentative ribbon cutting scheduled for July 9.

The new play area will be located closer to the restrooms and concession building with an adjacent green space for free play.

Other improvements on the horizon include removing the west-end parking area due to safety concerns and expanding the space for additional soccer fields. The fields will be able to be accessed from a parking area off Smokey Drive via the park’s walking bridge.

Throughout the process, community involvement is key. 

“We’re trying to keep momentum with volunteers, instead of trying to put a burden on taxpayers,” said Ott. “We’re extremely grateful for all the help we’ve had so far. It’s wonderful to see a community come together for a common goal.”