Southern Prairie Activity & Recreation Center for Wellness

05/11/2026

Exciting news from the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) selection process.

After a thorough review of five highly qualified candidates, the committee evaluated strong proposals from teams that all demonstrated exceptional experience and capability. Every company brought something valuable to the table, and we appreciate the time and effort each one invested.

The committee has announced that the selected Construction Manager at Risk for this project is Comstock Construction of Wahpeton, ND.

Comstock brings a proven track record, deep local roots, and a strong understanding of our community’s needs. Their selection marks an important step forward as the project moves into its next phase.

More updates will be shared as progress continues - thank you for staying engaged and informed.

Reminder: This page is administered by Amanda Miller Fisher and Stacia Pauly Henningsen. It is not owned or operated by the City of Wahpeton. We are volunteers who try the best we can to keep supporters updated on the progress of the Wellness Center!

05/06/2026

We (Amanda and Stacia) have been working side by side with the Infinity Center group since 2020. Our goals were to create two facilities that complemented one another and brought new opportunities to our community and surrounding communities. We are so excited to see this project underway! 👏

Like Bruce Yaggie said in a comment on our previous post “What’s good for Wahp is good for Breck and what’s good for Breck is good for Wahp! We are all better together!” 💪

04/29/2026

Today marks one full year since the vote passed!

We want to hear from you - what feature of the SPARC are you most excited for?

Your input, excitement, and support are what keep this project moving forward. Your voice matters and it continues to shape the future of this facility every step of the way.

04/24/2026

SPARC Wellness Update 04/24/2026

It’s been a while since our last update, but we’re happy to share some forward progress.

This post recaps only the City Council meeting from 04/20/2026 related to the SPARC Wellness Center.

Dennis Miranowski shared that the selection committee interviewed three companies for the CMAR (Construction Manager at Risk) for the Wellness Center. At the next Public Works meeting (on 04/27/2026), Dennis will bring forward the committee’s selection. (For those interested in learning more about why a CMAR is important, here is a helpful resource: https://www.trimble.com/blog/construction/en-US/article/project-management/project-delivery-methods/construction-manager-at-risk)

The alternate site selection research for SPARC was referred to the Public Works Committee. Chad reviewed the findings from that research, which focused on three potential options within Legacy Lakes Development (south of Walmart). Mayor Brett Lambrecht and Public Works Director Dennis Miranowski have been working with Nathan Berseth of the Richland County JPA on a potential placement for the SPARC Wellness Center.

The Public Works Committee agreed to allow City of Wahpeton staff to continue working with Richland County JPA on a placement within Legacy Lakes. Mayor Brett Lambrecht then called for a City Council vote to allow placement of the SPARC Wellness Center within Phase 1 of Legacy Lakes. He also noted that Mr. Berseth is comfortable with allocating approximately 10 acres for the project.

The motion was made by Councilman Perdue and seconded by Councilman McNary.

There was additional discussion regarding pedestrian safety, including potential pathways along the 16th Avenue intersection, as one proposed site is located in the northwest corner of Legacy Lakes (across from Walmart). Roundabouts at the bypass intersections of 14th Avenue and 16th Avenue were also discussed. This would slow traffic to roughly 15MPH at pedestrian crossings.

Roll call vote for placement in Phase 1 of Legacy Lakes:
Perdue: Aye
Goltz: Aye
Bohn: Nay
McNary: Aye
Julson: Aye
Schillinger: Aye
🎉 The motion passed, approving placement in Legacy Lakes.🎉

(Reminder: On March 3rd, we shared that the NDSCS site was no longer viable due to the available space being reduced to five buildable acres, which did not allow adequate room to build and expand on the vision approved by voters.)

The City Council meeting is available to watch via https://www.youtube.com/live/A-MOVtYSOJ4?si=LwE0pHCOOVQC1l_9


Reminder: This page is administered by Amanda Miller Fisher and Stacia Pauly Henningsen. It is not owned or operated by the City of Wahpeton. We are volunteers doing our best to keep supporters informed on the progress of the SPARC Wellness Center.

CMAR is a project delivery method in which the owner hires a construction manager (CM) to oversee the project from design to construction close-out.

03/03/2026

SPARC UPDATE

This portion of the post recaps the 3/2/26 council meeting discussion related to the SPARC Wellness Center:

Public Works Director, Dennis Miranowski reported that during a design meeting last week with JLG Architects it was determined that the 5 acre site at NDSCS was not adequate for the building size, parking, and green space requirements of the project. He said that he asked NDSCS for an additional 150 feet of land to the north, and the request was denied. A motion was made to discontinue negotiations with NDSCS regarding the land lease, and the motion was unanimously approved by the city council. There was no further discussion.

Dennis also walked through a better option for the turf structure called Legacy Building Solutions. The “turf bubble” had a low price tag upfront but huge maintenance costs. The new Legacy Building offers lower construction costs, lower upkeep, and can be insured - making it a far more practical for long term use.

This portion provides additional context and reflects the personal perspectives of Amanda and Stacia:

At this point, the NDSCS site just isn’t going to work for the SPARC project. We understand this is disappointing news, especially given the amount of effort that went into exploring this location. Many individuals dedicated significant time and energy trying to make this site work. We also recognize that this was the site option presented to voters, and we understand it’s especially difficult to see it not come together.

Last Thursday, the State Higher Board of Education met to review the land lease agreement. They did not approve it but instead decided to continue negotiating the terms with the City. Around that same time, JLG Architects shared preliminary drawings for the proposed 5-acre site. Through that process, it became clear that some of the space we were counting on, especially for parking, wasn’t as usable as originally thought. It has become apparent that expanding beyond the current footprint to gain additional acreage is not a realistic option. In the end, the site just isn’t big enough to support everything the facility needs, especially if we want room to grow in the future.

At the end of the day, we don’t feel it’s in the best interest of the project, or a responsible use of tax dollars, to move forward with a site that limits what we can do long-term. We really only get one chance to do this right.

We know this is tough to hear, but there may be a silver lining. The delay has given us time to look into some new financing options that have recently come up and we will be pursuing them to better the project!

As for what’s next, there will be quick movement to explore other site options that meet the goal of at least 10 acres.

Please drop any questions in the comments. We appreciate your questions and input.

Reminder: This page is administered by Amanda Miller Fisher and Stacia Pauly Henningsen. It is not owned or operated by the City of Wahpeton. We are volunteers who try the best we can to keep supporters updated on the progress of the Wellness Center!

02/04/2026

SPARC Wellness update 02-03-26

Wahpeton Council Meeting 02/02/2026
This post recaps only the portion of the council meeting related to the SPARC Wellness Center.

Mayor Brett Lambrecht read an email from Dr. Flanigan regarding the land lease associated with the SPARC project. The email stated that the State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) discussed the land lease at its board meeting on January 29th, 2026. The Board voted to send the land lease to a subcommittee scheduled to meet on February 5, 2026, to review the project history and the community benefits of the facility. The SBHE has the current land lease agreement on file. The email also noted that the SBHE previously voted and unanimously approved the land lease agreement in March 2025.

For the full recap, view the Wahpeton City Council Meeting at timestamp 21:30:
https://www.wahpeton.com/councilagenda

Reminder: This page is administered by Amanda Miller Fisher and Stacia Pauly Henningsen. It is not owned or operated by the City of Wahpeton. We are volunteers who try the best we can to keep supporters updated on the progress of the Wellness Center!

01/22/2026

SPARC Wellness update 1-20-26

Public Works & Finance Committee Meetings – 1/12/26

This post recaps only the portion of the committee meetings related to the SPARC Wellness Center.

Lease Agreement Update:
City Attorney Brittany Hatting reviewed revisions made to the lease agreement. Both the Public Works and Finance Committees voted to approve the revised lease pending its return from the NDSCS attorney with no additional changes.

Financing Options:
Brad Pauly, retired bank president, presented an overview of two additional financing packages currently being researched for consideration by the private sector, outlining how each option could support the project moving forward.

⸻

City Council Update – 1/20/26

This post recaps only the portion of the council meeting related to the SPARC Wellness Center.

The City Council approved the land lease, contingent on the agreement being returned from North Dakota State College of Science without further revisions.

Note: The revised lease agreement was sent by our City Attorney to Dr. Flanigan, President of NDSCS, on January 2, 2026. The lease agreement is under review with their attorney. At this time, the City is awaiting its return.

Progress on the SPARC Wellness Center is close. We look forward to receiving the executed lease agreement from NDSCS so work can proceed.

Also at the Council meeting, there was a unanimous vote approving the official name:
Southern Prairie Activity and Recreation Center (SPARC Wellness).

Reminder: This page is administered by Amanda Miller Fisher and Stacia Pauly Henningsen. It is not owned or operated by the City of Wahpeton. We are volunteers who try the best we can to keep supporters updated on the progress of the Wellness Center!

01/12/2026

We want to take a moment to help clear up a few things on what exactly was voted on for this project.

At the last council meeting, one council member correctly pointed out that when the public voted on this project, the vote was to approve a sales tax — not a specific building plan or location. That is true. The ballot language read:

“Shall Ordinance No. 1071 be approved to levy an additional one percent (1%) city sales and use tax for the primary purpose of assisting in the funding of construction, maintenance, and operations of a community recreation and wellness facility?”

That said, it was never the intention of the Ad Hoc Committee — the group tasked with developing this project — to veer away from the plans that were presented to the public. Those plans were developed intentionally and thoughtfully, with the understanding that they represented the vision shared with voters. If you’d like more insight into how those plans were created, please refer back to our 12/30/25 post, which outlines the full process the Ad Hoc Committee went through. This was a thorough, research-driven effort focused on creating a facility that is sustainable, affordable, and aligned with what the community said it wanted.

It’s also important to note that prior to the vote, it was clearly communicated that bringing the full vision to life would require an estimated $10 million in fundraising, in addition to financing. While we have not yet reached that $10 million fundraising goal, our efforts are still in their infancy, and we have many promising and encouraging conversations happening.

If we are unable to reach the full $30 million through a combination of financing and fundraising, the project may need to be phased, meaning everything may not be built at once. Regardless, it is critical that whatever is built initially is financially sustainable.

There are a lot of moving parts to a project of this size, and we are working very hard toward the $30 million goal — and we will not stop.

Thank you to everyone who continues to ask questions, stay engaged, and support this project.

01/06/2026

SPARC Update 1-5-2026

This update reflects only the portion of the City Council meeting that referenced the SPARC Wellness Center.

Bruce Yaggie opened by explaining the Infinity Center concept, to be built in Breckenridge, MN; and the amenities proposed. He shared a design that includes one sheet of ice, three gymnasiums, and four pickleball courts. He noted that the Infinity Center would operate on a pay‑to‑play rental model. Bruce indicated that he believes SPARC Wellness and the Infinity Center could complement one another.

Garrett Schwinghammer, manager of Healing Arts Chiropractic, addressed the council in support of the concept developed by the Mayor’s Ad‑Hoc Committee. He stated that the proposed SPARC concept would help attract and retain families with young children in the community.

Brad Edwardson, Wahpeton Parks and Recreation Director, addressed the council regarding our previous Facebook update posted on Jan 1st 2026; and clarified his intent from the Dec 17th meeting. He stated that his presentation was meant to demonstrate alternate options should the NDSCS land lease not be finalized. He clarified that his intent was not to present a new concept, but to discuss what he believes could support operational cash flow for the facility, if the Parks and Rec is asked to operate.

(Following the meeting, we spoke to Brad, and additional clarification was provided that his concept includes aquatics, with a future eight‑lane lap pool, as well as fitness space on a second level. He shared that turf could potentially be located elsewhere, not attached to the SPARC Wellness Center, but could remain part of SPARC programming. He also clarified that the 1901 Club was not intended to be removed and the reason it was not discussed [at the Dec 17th meeting] was due to it not being operated by Park and Recreation. His intent was to explore options that could help move the project forward.)

Shelley Tollefson, Wahpeton Senior Center Director, addressed the council and regarding the proposed concept. She spoke to the value of the facility serving all ages and activities and the positive impact such a center could have for both seniors and families with young children considering moving to or returning to Wahpeton.

Mayor Brett Lambrecht mentioned that the website is being worked on for the SPARC Wellness Center.

City Attorney Brittany Hatting referred the lease agreements to the Public Works Committee and Finance Committee for review. (This step had been communicated previously to allow council members time to review changes prior to further action.)

Reminder: This page is administered by Amanda Miller Fisher and Stacia Pauly Henningsen. It is not owned or operated by the City of Wahpeton. We are volunteers who try the best we can to keep supporters updated on the progress of the Wellness Center!

01/01/2026

SPARC UPDATE

Recap: Combined Meeting – Wahpeton Park & Recreation and City Council – Dec 17, 2025

A joint meeting was held to discuss the future of the Wellness and Recreation Center project. Key points included:
• New Concept Proposal:
Park Director Brad Edwardson presented an alternative concept focused on a tournament hub with four gymnasiums and classroom-sized spaces. This concept would remove indoor aquatics, indoor turf, fitness spaces, and the 1901 Club (Senior Citizen Center), but include a splash pad as future expansion.
Park Board President Brian Watson supported the proposal, stating that if the Wahpeton Park & Recreation operates the facility, this concept reflects their needs.
• Location Discussion:
Edwardson stated that he personally prefers Chahinkapa Park for the facility’s location. This would replace two of the four baseball/softball diamonds in the park. Brian Watson and Zach Hatting clarified this was presented as an option, with NDSCS still considered a preferred location. Zach noted NDSCS would be a “great location,” with the park as a second choice.
Councilman Jason Goltz spoke in favor of building in the park, citing the Park owns the land and his opinion of “efficient use of square footage” focusing on gymnasiums.
• Mayor’s Comments:
Mayor Brett Lambrecht emphasized that the ad-hoc committee held 31 meetings on design and operations and reminded attendees the project is intended as a community center, not solely a sports complex. He noted floodplain concerns at the park site and potential concerns with the roads with increased traffic.
• Architect Input:
Adam Barnett from JLG Architects explained that NDSCS scored highest in prior site evaluations for accessibility, infrastructure, and cost efficiency. He expressed concern that the new concept could increase costs due to infrastructure updates, parking, rebuilding ball diamonds, and flood mitigation. Adam encouraged collaboration and discussed phased construction and a cost-saving building structure through Legacy Building Solutions.
• Other Key Points:
o Councilwoman Tiana Bohn asked about phasing options to address budget concerns.
o Amanda Miller Fisher clarified that the surveyed site lines allow amenities to fit south of Blikre, using land under power lines for parking.
o Councilman Chad Perdue raised concerns about reducing ball diamond space due to high demand.
o Brian Watson requested transparent communication moving forward.
o Dr. Rod Flanigan confirmed willingness to sign a 99-year land lease for $1.00 without operational agreements.
o Representative Alisa Mitskog pointed out that the ND higher board of education would not sell the NDSCS property but were willing to lease it long term.
o City Attorney Brittany Hatting recommended reviewing the updated land lease agreement and voting on the NDSCS location at the January 5th City Council meeting.
o School Board President Jake Kubela noted limited council attendance at prior planning meetings.

Next Steps:
The Wahpeton City Council will review and vote on the NDSCS location at its meeting on January 5, 2026, at 5 PM.

For Reference:

The most recent Mayor's Ad Hoc Committee was made up of:
• Amanda Miller Fisher, Community member and founder
• Stacia Henningsen, Community member and founder
• Zach Hatting, Wahpeton Park and Recreation Board member
• Michael Kaiser, Wahpeton public schools Superintendent
• Dr Rod Flanigan, NDSCS President
• Roger Jensen, retired Wahpeton Park and Recreation Board member
• Brian Watson, Wahpeton Park and Recreation Board President
• Brad Edwardson, Wahpeton Park and Recreation Director
• Kelly McNary, Wahpeton City Council
• Julie Rosenberg, Healthcare Administrator for Essentia Health

City Council Members:
• Tiana Bohn: [email protected]
• Dr. David Woods: [email protected]
• Shannon Shillinger: [email protected]
• Chad Purdue: [email protected]
• Kelly McNary: [email protected]
• Jason Goltz: [email protected]
• Corey Unruh: [email protected]

Wahpeton Parks and Recreation Board Members:
• Brian Watson, President (612) 670-6044
• Tyler Grippentrog (701) 899-1254
• Deb Tobias (701) 642-4339
• Zach Hatting (605) 270-3628
• Casey Formaneck (701) 640-2954

12/30/2025

Hey SPARC followers! 👋

Before we jump into our next update, we thought it would be helpful to take a step back and share a brief history of this project. A lot has happened over the years, and understanding how we got here helps provide some important context.

How it all started…
This project began in September 2020 as a true grassroots effort after a simple conversation between two moms at the park. (Those two moms — Stacia Henningsen and Amanda Fisher — run this page and have poured their hearts into this project from day one.)

Here’s a quick timeline of how things have unfolded:

Dec. 2020 – Sept. 2021
City Council approved a Mayor’s Ad Hoc Committee to explore this idea. The committee gathered community input and did extensive research. JLG Architects volunteered their time (pro bono) to create initial floor plans, with the proposed location west of the bypass.

October 2021
A special election was held to pass a 0.75% sales tax to fund a $20 million project. The vote failed:
• 558 NO (55%)
• 464 YES (45%)

Early 2022
Community feedback was collected to understand why the vote failed, and alternative locations were proposed.

October 2022
City Council approved a $25,000 site study through JLG Architects comparing three locations: new development west of the bypass, NDSCS (west of the Blikre), and Chahinkapa Park (softball diamonds). NDSCS scored the highest and was determined to be the best available site.

August 2023
A new Mayor’s Ad Hoc Committee was approved and tasked with developing a plan that was feasible, sustainable, and reflective of what the community wants. This committee included 10 members, comprised of representation from the City Council, Park District, NDSCS, Wahpeton Public Schools, and community members.
Additional subcommittees were formed with over 40 volunteers researching programming and facility needs. By this point, thousands of volunteer hours had been invested!

March 2024
City Council approved hiring JLG Architects for $60,000 to develop preliminary plans based on the committee’s findings, with the location at NDSCS.

Summer 2024
The Wahpeton CDC donated $75,000 to fund professional operational budgeting and help kick off fundraising efforts.

April 2025
A special election was held to pass a 1% sales tax to fund $20 million of the estimated $30 million project.
✅ The vote passed: 772 YES (61%) / 488 NO (39%)

October 2025
The approved 1% sales tax began being collected.

Thanks for sticking with us and taking the time to learn the history behind The SPARC. We believe transparency matters, and we’ll keep sharing updates as we move forward together 💙