Broin family donates land to expand Great Bear Recreation Park

Broin family donates land to expand Great Bear Recreation Park

Published on October 06, 2026

Great Bear Recreation Park is expanding thanks to a generous donation from the Jeff and Tammie Broin family. The Broin family will gift more than 20 acres of land they own to the City of Sioux Falls, expanding the park's southern footprint. The land will primarily serve as natural conservation space that will give the city's Parks and Recreation and Great Bear teams flexibility for future planning and stewardship.

"This land donation is an investment in a beloved outdoor space and strengthens Great Bear as a four-season destination," Sioux Falls Mayor Christine Erickson said. "We appreciate Jeff and Tammie Broin's continued generosity to our parks and recreation system and commitment to conservation efforts across our city."

Prior to this gift, the Broins, alongside the Ashby family, donated a total of $1.3 million through the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation to construct an additional mile of recreation trail from Lien Park, near Cliff Avenue, to Bahnson Avenue. The new trail includes an elevated boardwalk, the first of its kind in the Sioux Falls parks system. Eventually, as funding becomes available, this trail corridor along the Big Sioux River is expected to reach Great Bear with a goal of connecting to Veterans Parkway.

"Our family truly enjoys Sioux Falls and being members of this great community," said Jeff Broin. "We think South Dakota is a unique and amazing state and Sioux Falls is a great place to live and work. It's our hope that this land will help the city create a new recreational area that will be enjoyed for generations to come."

This donation supports three of the top priorities the Sioux Falls community identified in the Parks and Recreation System Master Plan, which was approved by the Sioux Falls City Council in late 2025. Those priorities are walking and hiking trails, natural areas and wildlife habitats. This expansion increases opportunities for conservation, protects one of the region's most natural landscapes and strengthens long-term operations of Great Bear Recreation Park. To further protect the land, the gifting agreement outlines that the land cannot have motorized traffic on it other than maintenance to conserve its natural spaces.

• Media Release