RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Native American community organization – He Sapa Otipi – cleared a major financial hurdle yesterday when the Rapid City Legal and Finance Committee voted unanimously to remove the contingency previously blocking access to $9 million in vision funds.

The funds were previously allocated to build a community center but required an agreement resolving a land issue in West Rapid City.

Removing the contingency will allow the city to release the vision fund money to reimburse construction costs.

Cante Heart, executive director of He Sapa Otipi said, “This means we can move forward to access the vision funds to create an Indigenous-hosted community center in Rapid City – which has been needed for decades – for a long, long time. So this is a huge win for us. We’re very excited to move forward and to move forward in a good way, with the collaboration of the city.”

Heart said the community center will be a vital resource for people to learn about each other and help race relations in the city.

She said it would provide a space for the community to come together and learn about Lakota heritage and traditions. It will also provide an exclusive place for traditional wakes and funerals – something previously unavailable to the community.

Heart said, “We’ll share meals,  we will share our language. We’ll have – we will prioritize elders and youth. It’ll be a place for families to come together, to share a safe space, and to celebrate our Lakota heritage and our Lakota culture. So we welcome everyone to come and join us and to be a part of this project.”

New land north of Mall Drive was donated to He Sapa Otipi by the NDN Collective to build the community center.

The issue is moving to the Rapid City Common Council for final approval during Monday’s meeting.

More information about the organization and the community center is available on He Sapa Otipi’s website.