SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — David and Kara Bakke took a dip in the pool Thursday at Westside Recreation Center.
The City of Sioux Falls opened the facility about two weeks ago.
The couple became members around the start of the year.
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“Just the proximity to our house. We’re a matter of maybe five minutes away. The price was nice,” David Bakke said.
The city had set a target of selling 2,500 passes for this year, but it’s already topped that.
“We’re off to a real fast start,” Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Brett Kollars said.
As of Wednesday morning, roughly 2,600 monthly and annual passes had been sold.
“We’re thrilled. It’s something we’ve been seeking for a while and to get this type of reaction and community and engagement has been uplifting,” Kollars said.
While the cold weather may be one of the factors in the facility’s early success, Kollars expects the rec center to remain busy in the warm months.
“Our experience at the Midco Aquatic Center, you would think winter is its busiest time, it is not. It’s July, it’s August. I’d expect this to match suit,” Kollars said.
But for now, the Bakkes are happy to have a warm place to have some fun.
“It’s cold nine months out of the year pretty much, so it’s nice to have somewhere we can go where it’s not freezing all the time,” Kara Bakke said.
The city has made upgrades to the facility, which used to be the Sanford Wellness Center.
Changes include new lighting and paint.
New carpet is being installed.
There are also plans to replace the roof and parking lot and resurface the basketball and racquetball courts.