Prairie Green Clubhouse On The Move

by Breanna Fuss, Reporter
November 27, 2012 4:56 PM


Streetlights and power lines came down Tuesday in Sioux Falls.  City crews were taking them down on purpose because the Prairie Green Clubhouse is moving to its new home.

“We felt like there was a use for this building, but it wasn’t at this golf course,” said Tom Jansa, President of Dakota Golf Management.

The 2000 square foot Prairie Green Clubhouse is making its way west through Sioux Falls.

"We are moving the Prairie Green Clubhouse over to Kuehn Park Golf Course,” said Don Kearney, Director of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation.

Don Kearney with Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation said the Kuehn Clubhouse wasn’t up to the America with Disabilities Act requirements. Not to mention the 1,250 square foot building wasn’t able to hold many people either.

“It was essentially too small for the operation over at Kuehn Park,” said Kearney.

So instead of tearing down two buildings, to rebuild both, city officials decided to be green and save a little money.

"To build a new one is about $325,000 and to move it is about $100,000,” said Kearney.
    
The six-mile journey will take two days.
 
“We are using two days to make a minimal impact on the city traffic,” said Randy Telkamp of Telkamp Moving.

And a lot of man power: between Tuesday and Wednesday there will be around 50 people helping the clubhouse get to its final destination.

And it has proven to be no small feat.

At every intersection lights, power lines and signs are being moved. Traffic is stopped, and then the clubhouse can roll on down the street.

"Sometimes it will be going around 10 mph, not too fast,” said Telkamp.

And as the clubhouse slowly treks along the streets of Sioux Falls, plans are already in place for the new clubhouse at Prairie Green.

“Our new clubhouse here will be about 6,200 square feet,” said Jansa.

So it’s out with the old, and in with the new, with a little bit of patience and some road congestion.

A ‘user fee,’ golfers pay when they play, funds the project. That money goes into a city fund to be used for large projects like this one.