January 20, 2012 News

[Trinity Eco Prayer Park]

Trinity Eco Prayer Park Update
January 20, 2012

FOURFRONT DESIGN BEGINS CONSTRUCTION PLANS

The $100,000 gift from an anonymous donor in December has enabled the
Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Foundation to give FourFront Design
of Rapid City the green light to proceed with construction drawings
for the Trinity Eco Prayer Park.

FourFront donated the cost of the preliminary conceptual park plans
that were used to present the park to the church and public. The value
of the FourFront’s preliminary design work donation was $6,000.

A portion of the major gift that the park received will be used to pay
$18,000 for FourFront’s construction design work. These drawings will
ready in time to begin Phase 1 of building the park this summer.

NATIONAL GUARD CONSIDERING PARK PROPOSAL

The Foundation has submitted a proposal to the South Dakota National
Guard to include Trinity Eco Prayer Park on its 2012 building project
schedule. Through its Individual Readiness Training (IRT) program the
Guard has helped with developing other parks in Rapid City.

The proposal requests Guard assistance with Phase 1 preparation of
subsurface drainfields and canals, surface grading, and hauling
boulders, rock, soil, fill, and compost. Additional Phase 2
involvement could include construction of a pergola and installation
of solar security lighting and solar collection and storage
facilities.

An IRT board will meet January 23 to consider proposals for 2012. If
approved the project may be completed by either local Guard units or
Guard units that come to the Black Hills in June for the annual Golden
Coyote training exercises.


CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUIRED FOR PARK

When FourFront designers met with city planners to discuss the park
plans, they discovered that it would be necessary to apply for a
conditional use permit to build the park. This is because the zoning
for a downtown business district does not specifically allow a park or
a church to be built.

The permit application was submitted on Jan. 13 and is scheduled to be
on the planning commission’s agenda for its Feb. 9 meeting. FourFront
officials are encouraged by the city planners’ preliminary feedback
about the permit.

However, part of the process invites the public to provide feedback
and possible objections to the project. Interested persons may want to
provide positive feedback by sending a letter of support for the park
to Community Planning, 300 6th Street, Rapid City, SD 57701.

MEDIA COVERAGE OF PARK EXPANDS

The story about Trinity Eco Prayer Park receiving a $100,000 donation
generated interest in some media outlets that had not previously
covered the park story.

KNBN and South Dakota Public Radio carried interviews with Nancy
Whitcher, president of Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Foundation.
KEVN and the Rapid City Journal also ran pieces about the anonymous
gift. The KNBN story can be viewed at www.newscenter1.tv/stories/10535.aspx

SPECIFIC VOLUNTEER NEEDS:

- A group of people to help put together a certified, return-receipt
mailing to notify nearby property owners of plans to build the park.

- Write a letter of support for the park and send it to Community
Planning, 300 6th Street, Rapid City, SD 57701. Letter should be
received before February 1.

- Recruit others to write letters of support for the park.


MORE INFO?

Thanks for your interest. Contact Ken Steinken with any questions or
ideas you have about Trinity Eco Prayer Park. You can also contact us
by replying to this email or calling 605-342-9302.

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