Downtown Rapid City, no matter the season, is a sight to behold. Spring and summer bring lush flowers and energetic fountains, while fall and winter offer warm, inviting spaces and an ice rink straight out of a Christmas movie. But this beauty doesn’t happen by accident.
Joe Garza leads the Downtown Rapid City operations team, a small but dedicated crew that keeps Downtown — including Main Street Square — looking its best. “I love my job,” Joe said. “There’s nothing more satisfying than working where people appreciate what you do — it makes it exciting waking up every day. No two days are ever the same, there’s always something different going on.”
Callie Meyer, Director of Community Engagement with Visit Rapid City, emphasized the behind-the-scenes work Joe and his team put in. “People don’t think twice about what it takes to put this on. It can appear seamless, but the team is doing all of it behind the scenes, from bathrooms to trash to beautification.”
In addition to their daily maintenance duties — including over 200 trash cans, flower displays and operating the Main Street Square fountains and ice rink — this crew is responsible for setting up and tearing down events at Main Street Square. That work often requires early mornings and late nights to ensure everything is ready for the public. Signature events they support include The Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival (Rapid City’s largest downtown event, with 19,000 attendees in past years), Movies on Main, Frühlingsfest and more.
Callie noted that Visit Rapid City — which oversees Downtown Rapid City and Main Street Square — is a nonprofit, and generous donors and sponsors make this work possible. As Joe said, the reward is simple: seeing people enjoy these spaces. “The guys take pride in everything they do down here at Main Street Square. It takes a lot of upkeep to keep those fountains running, but just to see the kids having fun out here is what we love.”
Pictured, left to right: Chris Medina, Joe Garza, Patrick Oliver and Gary Armour
512 Main Street, Suite 240
Rapid City, SD 57701
DowntownRapidCity.com
