The groundwork began this past week to make way for an expansion of the current FSST Wicoicaga Community Center on Broad Avenue and construction of the tribe’s new Wellness Center. The project will add significant new recreation, fitness and wellness space to the existing facility, though questions remain about where some current programs housed in the building may ultimately relocate. Tribal education programs, which have been a staple of the Wicoicaga Community Center since it opened, are among those still under consideration as tribal officials determine where they might find a new home.
By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
After years of planning, community input and discussion, dirt is finally moving along Broad Avenue as construction gets underway on a major project that will become the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe’s new Wellness Center.
The groundwork began this past week to make way for an expansion of the current FSST Wicoicaga Community Center and construction of the new wellness facility, which will be located adjacent to the existing Tribal Health complex and connected to the current community center.
When finished, tribal health officials say the expanded facility will significantly increase opportunities for recreation, fitness, education and wellness services for tribal members and the broader community.
According to project information released by the tribe, the Wellness Center will include renovation of portions of the existing facility along with construction of new additions, resulting in a building totaling 112,691 square feet. The project carries an estimated construction cost of $79.1 million, not including financing costs, and is expected to be completed in April 2028.
Plans for the new facility include four gymnasiums, expanded fitness and weight-training areas, physical therapy services, men’s and women’s locker rooms and saunas, a climbing wall, a warm-water therapy pool, behavioral health space, new community and education rooms, and expanded Dakota language and cultural areas.
Project materials describe the facility as being designed around a holistic approach to wellness that incorporates physical, mental, cultural and spiritual well-being.
Construction is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
As work gets underway, tribal officials recently notified Wellness Center members that the existing fitness center has closed and will remain closed until the project is complete.
To minimize disruptions, the tribe has partnered with The Warehouse in Flandreau to provide fitness opportunities for current Wellness Center members during the construction period.
In a recent notice to members, tribal officials thanked The Warehouse for helping “keep our active members active” while work is underway.
The expansion is part of a broader effort by the tribe to improve access to health and wellness resources while creating additional space for programs serving youth, families, elders and community members of all ages.
Tribal education programs, which have been a staple of the Wicoicaga Community Center since it opened, are among those still under consideration as tribal officials determine where they might find a new home.
The Wellness Center expansion is just one of several major projects planned for the Broad Avenue corridor. Construction on a new tribal headquarters building is expected to begin later this summer, potentially as early as next month, on property immediately adjacent to the site. A new townhome development is also slated for construction directly across the street.
Area residents and commuters should expect to see significant construction traffic along the Broad Avenue corridor in the months and years ahead as each of these projects move forward.