Sioux Falls Colesium Receives Restoration
Local News
by
Danielle Dupuy
last edited on
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
It's been a work in progress for the past five years. The historic Sioux Falls Coliseum has received a much needed restoration.
At Wednesday morning's Minnehaha County Commission meeting, commissioners signed off on an agreement with the city that finalizes the project.
In 1917 the Sioux Falls Coliseum was the place to be.
Dianne Metli, with the Coliseum Exterior Restoration Committee, says, "We had presidents come. When they came through campaigning they used the facility in 1917 and in the early years of the building. And it’s still the place to be."
Even on Wednesday, with its extensive decorative work, beautiful glass windows, and its prime location downtown, the Coliseum can't help but evoke the feeling of historical significance.
And keeping that history alive was the intent behind the coliseum's restoration, which included restoring the gargoyles, the lights, and the north wind face.
A true labor of love that ended Tuesday with the Minnehaha County Commission signing an agreement with the city of Sioux Falls.
The city awarded the county $100,000 to help pay for the $760,000 outside restoration project.
Ken McFarland, the commission administrative officer, says, "That was the final document we need to sign off on today in order to have the city transfer the money to the county for the work."
An agreement that now requires the county to follow certain guidelines.
"It just enacts a series of steps you need to do in order to make sure the facade maintains its historic significance," said McFarland.
Something both the county and the city believe to be important.
"We need to preserve our history to show our children where we came from and how things use to be," said Metli.
“The results, particularly the east gable itself is just breathtaking. It’s who we are as a community. It defines who we were and basically where we're going in the future," said McFarland
So the next time you drive along Main Street look up, and you too can relive a little part of Sioux Falls.
Inside of the Sioux Falls Coliseum is where you'll find the multi-cultural center.