Park additions, renovations aim to support community events in Parkston

Erik Kaufman, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·6 min read

May 11—PARKSTON — "It's Parkston. 'Park' is in the title. If you just look at our name, we better have a cool park," Bill Maxwell said.

Maxwell, the president of the Parkston Commercial Club, was referring to East Park in the community of about 1,600 people south of Mitchell. The park is a prime gathering place for activities throughout the summer, from adult and youth baseball and softball games to fun at the swimming pool, family reunions and picnics.

And recent efforts by the Parkston Commercial Club and numerous other entities and individuals have upgraded the park to new levels, raising its appeal and inviting members of the community to enjoy private, public and social events through the addition of a recently-built amphitheater and renovations to existing historic structures.

It's a project that has been in the works for about three years, and Maxwell said it has been a team effort between community leaders, volunteers and contractors to make it a reality.

"The amphitheater itself is a great story. It was a group of people who came forward with the idea that it would be really nice to have an amphitheater out there to have some entertainment and allow people to get together," Maxwell told the Mitchell Republic recently.

It took years of developing a vision, planning and fundraising to build the new amphitheater. To finance the building, organizers did it the old-fashioned way: they held a lot of fundraisers, making a little bit at a time, with proceeds going toward a project of which nobody was exactly sure what the final cost would be.

"We'd sell a sandwich and make 50 cents on it. We did a lot of those," Maxwell said. "We also had a ladies night fundraiser 2018 and 2019, and both of those were amazing. We had some great fun."

The steady support from community members was indicative of the backing organizers got from other entities in the community, as well. With the park owned by the city, government leaders offered guidance on the project and local contractors selected to do the work — including Reiser Construction and Weidenbach Concrete Works — offered their experience in building an amphitheater that matched other structures in the park, many of which date back to the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency that focused on public works improvements in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

None of the organizers had ever built an amphitheater before, so there was no real template on what it would cost. At times it appeared that the project may simply be too expensive, but Maxwell said everyone they approached was on board with the project from the beginning, lending their expertise and keen eyes to adding a new focal point to East Park.

Every contribution was vital, but Maxwell said the contractors really stepped up and offered a hand.

"In the end, (the fundraising) came to about a third of the cost. A third came from the Parkston Area Foundation, which is a community fund disbursed through a board and grants, and the other third came from the builders themselves," Maxwell said. "They swallowed the cost to make it look nice, maybe even beyond our original thoughts."

While specific figures weren't available, the amphitheater probably cost around $60,000 to construct, said Ember Dale, secretary-treasurer of the Parkston Commercial Club.

The new structure can accommodate a number of different entertainment and presentational events, and is designed to host anything from youth gatherings to music concerts and weddings. It's range of use is broad enough for even casual visitors to enjoy, Dale said.

"It was designed for anybody to use. We wanted it to be an amphitheater but also a picnic shelter. The counters are big enough to put roasters on them. The way the steps are built, they can be used as risers. Last Sunday they had a youth rally and Christian music there, and we've had church services there," Dale said.

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"There is a pent up demand for entertainment and outdoor activities, and we want to deliver."

— Bill Maxwell, Parkston Commercial Club President

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The majority of the work on the amphitheater is complete, Maxwell said. There remains some landscaping to be done and some other small tasks, but for the most part the new structure is ready to go. Having already hosted a few local gatherings, the amphitheater is also set to host some live music events and serve as a central focus of larger community events, such as Summerfest.

Summerfest, scheduled for June 5 in Parkston this year, is the type of event that showcases and celebrates a community's personality, hospitality and appeal to residents and visitors alike, Maxwell said. The all-day gathering features youth baseball, an adult softball game featuring members of the business and farming communities, live music, food and shopping vendors and a general atmosphere of small-town life.

In addition, the park will host AmphiThursdays, where every Thursday in June and July at the park will feature live music. The first act to take part in the regular event will be Wakefield, scheduled to perform June 3.

Maxwell said interest in the park is high thanks to the slow but steady drawback of COVID-19 concerns. After spending most of 2020 cooped up and away from fellow community members, residents are itching to get back to a semblance of normal, and the recent changes at the park are helping fuel that excitement.

"There is a pent up demand for entertainment and outdoor activities, and we want to deliver," Maxwell said. "Having a friend and something to go to or to look forward to can mean a lot to a lot of people."

While the amphitheater is probably the most noticeable upgrade to the park, it is not the only one. A roundhouse structure adjacent to the amphitheater was also recently remodeled, and a veteran's memorial in the park is also undergoing a freshening up with new paint and ornate fixtures.

The amphitheater itself was gifted to the city of Parkston, which handles insurance and other needs for the structure. There is no rent to use the amphitheater, but those interested in doing so are encouraged to contact the city for more details on its use, Maxwell said.

It's been a long journey from idea to reality for the amphitheater, Maxwell said. But the reward will be the decades of service it will deliver to the community in the form of fun and memories for those who choose to visit East Park, be it on an uneventful summer afternoon or a live music show with hundreds in attendance.

"It's something to celebrate our own community for the community members, but I want to invite other area towns. We want to be that regional hub to even smaller communities around us. We're a source of entertainment and fun and community," Maxwell said. "It's small town values, yet progressive with a competitive business environment."

It all comes together as a symbol of community spirit, Maxwell said, and making East Park a destination for relaxation and entertainment of all types.

"There is no shortage of things to check out and participate in," Maxwell said.