The small rural community of Parker, South Dakota is a testament to what can happen when a community works together. Parker is a community of just over 1,000 residents located 25 miles SW of Sioux Falls. Over the last four years Parker has built and established many development projects that will aid in Parker’s growth for years to come. Among the projects are an affordable housing development, athletic complex expansion, a bike path, community marketing plan, and a multigenerational center.

The Meadows Housing Development – In the year 2000 the City of Parker hired a firm to conduct a community assessment to evaluate growth. It was from that assessment that a very clear message came forth: in order for the community of Parker to grow, we must have roof tops. So in 2001 the Parker Development Corp. purchased 59 acres of farm and pasture land in the NE corner of Parker and thus, the Meadows was born. In 2004, the PDC leveraged their asset to install the infrastructure, streets, and curb and gutter. Lots were priced at cost to help entice builders and families to build in the Meadows Housing Development. To date, we have sold four lots with three homes having been built housing three new families to our community. A fourth house is currently under construction. The four homes will total $591,000 in taxable value and current hold $17,500 worth of aid to the Parker School System.

Field of Dreams – The Parker Development Corporation teamed up with the Parker Park and Recreation board to develop an athletic complex expansion project. Parker currently offers baseball/softball, soccer and junior football to the area kids. Our baseball/softball fields were becoming very crowded and our soccer and football teams were forced to practice on unsuitable fields. The PDC and the Rec. board were successful in securing $218,000 in Brownfield’s grant funds to assist in the clean up and development of a playing area and we received an additional $50,000 from the SD Game, Fish and Parks to build an additional softball/baseball field, four soccer fields and a practice football field.

Parker Bike Path – From the community assessment that was conducted in 2000, the citizens of Parker stated that they would like a bike path that would provide a safe passage to the walkers and runners of the community. The PDC and the Rec. board again teamed up to establish a committee to develop a loop around the community that bikers, walkers and runners could utilize. The City of Parker submitted a bike path proposal that totaled $83,000 in which we received a grant that covered 80% of the construction costs. The path is being used by the community on a regular basis.

Community Marketing Plan – With Parker’s proximity to Sioux Falls we saw an opportunity to market our community and our “quality of life” to the Sioux Falls market. The Parker Development Corporation hired an advertising agency to assist us develop a slogan and a logo as well as print materials that would be recognizable to the people we are targeting. We also created a television and radio campaign in which we sold sponsorship opportunities to our local business people; Our television campaign totaled $43,000 over a 10 month period and our radio campaign topped $5,800 over a four month timeframe. Community members of Parker began to attend Home Builder trade shows as well as our counties annual fair thus creating a contact list to which we are able to marketing. The PDC is in the process of conducting surveys that will help us in measuring the effectiveness of our advertising.

Multigenerational Center - In 2004, the City of Parker teamed up with then Senator Tom Daschle to secure federal funding to remodel an existing facility into what we now call the Multigenerational Center. After over $700,000 in federal grant funds were secured, the planning and construction process of the Center began. The total construction project ended up totaling $1,047,000, and the 12,000 sq. ft. facility now houses our Medical Clinic, Senior Citizens Center and our Hearts In Mind preschool. A lot of volunteer hours went into the planning and development process of this project which continues to be our crown jewel in the community.

For more on Parker’s Community Development projects you can contact:

Mark Kasten, Executive Director, Parker Development Corporation, 170 N. Main Avenue, Parker, SD 57053, 605-297-4305, .

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