RAPID CITY, SD — The Rapid City Common Council Monday night approved authorizing the City to purchase a land parcel near West South Street and Sioux San Drive to extend the Legacy Trail Project.

In the summer of 2023, Rapid City purchased 10 undeveloped lots behind Black Hills Works and the South Dakota Army National Guard facilities on Range Road for use in a potential future park or trail system.  There are no streets or utilities at the lots, which are located totally or partially within floodway. The land parcel approved for purchase by the Council Monday night is the last remaining lot in the area adjacent to the proposed Legacy Trail Project.

Black Hills Works has partnered with the City of Rapid City to create the Legacy Trail Project, which would provide an accessible outdoor recreation area and honor Black Hills Works participants, their families, and donors.

The trail project will provide connections and convenient access to existing trail systems in Mary Hall Park and Raider Park and within close proximity to the Remembering the Children Memorial site. The project, with separate phases located on city land as well as Black Hills Works’ property, will also provide safer routes to schools for students from West Middle School and Stevens High School.

“Our community is so inclusive and welcoming of Black Hills Works and the adults with disabilities that we support,” said Dr. Andrea Serna, President of the Black Hills Works Foundation. “Our proposed Legacy Park, which will be open to the public and connect to the Legacy Trail, is our way of extending our partnership with the community by welcoming trail users to our Legacy Park for reflection and fresh air.”

Black Hills Works Foundation successfully applied for a South Dakota Department of Transportation grant to fund the portion of the project on city-owned land and is working with the City’s Grants Division on additional funding opportunities.

“This project truly illustrates the amazing things we can create to better serve our community through public-private partnerships,” said City Grants Division Manager Jamie Toennies. “We have been working with the Black Hills Works Foundation on grant and funding opportunities to help bring the Legacy Trail Project to reality and the Council’s action on purchasing a final land parcel in the area is an important step in the process.”

The creation of the plan for Legacy Trail took over a year to develop with assistance from partners including Interstate Engineering (formerly TerraSite Design), the Rapid City Area School District, Raider Park founders, St. Andrew’s Church, Black Hills Bike Hub, Remembering the Children, and residents living in the area.

Development of the Legacy Trails Project is expected to take the next few years for completion.