With more than 65 active parks, seven indoor recreation facilities and 50 miles of trails that make Columbia a desired location, Columbia Parks and Recreation always has a plan to keep the city improving and residents satisfied. Since 1949, Parks and Recreation has served the city of Columbia by developing and preserving trails, facilities, parks and other natural areas. Parks and Recreation drafts short-term and long-term goals for future years in a master plan. Many improvements have been made over the past 10 years based on these goals, and more are designed to take place.

Along with grants, user fee improvement funds and private donations, the park sales tax ballot issue that is voted on every five years funds most of the projects. “Without citizen support of the tax, we would be limited in our ability to accomplish very many items in the master plan,” Park Services Manager Gabe Huffington says.

Ultimately, the Columbia Parks and Recreation master plan aims to not only identify and improve underserved areas in the community but also prioritize upcoming tasks. Below is a breakdown of the city’s greatest areas of interest along with how Parks and Recreation plans to meet those needs.

What the city wants

Parks and Recreation designs what is in the city’s interest by using input from residents. To better identify plans, the department collected random citizen surveys from 753 people between March and April of 2010 and 786 surveys from park users between November and December 2011. Group and public input meetings, along with other strategies, were used together to determine what citizens want and need.

– Let’s go camping: Columbia residents have high athletic interests for recreational development, and Parks and Recreation has identified several potential projects based on these interests because of their possible high tourist attraction and resident use. A new campground intended for RV and tent camping would cost between $250,000 and $750,000. The campground would have electricity, water, sites with camp grills and a sewer accessible by a one-way road system.

– Tee up: A demand for a championship disc golf course has also been expressed. The facility would be a certified Professional Disc Golf Association, 18-hole minimum course with a minimum length of 7,000 feet. The $180,000 to $510,000 project would support multiple concrete tee pads, targets and signs.

– Indoor sports: A projected multi-use indoor sports field house would range from $3 to $5 million. The field house would include synthetic turf for soccer, softball games, baseball and other athletic practices. Concessions, offices, locker rooms and restrooms would be added as amenities.

– Hit the turf: The most costly project to develop is a synthetic turf sports complex. The $15 to $20 million complex could hold up to 10 to 12 fields and accommodate major tournaments for sports such as football, rugby, lacrosse and ultimate Frisbee. Amenities would include concession stands and spectator seating.

When one of these desired facilities is selected for funding, further planning will take place for its development. Locations are currently undetermined for these projects. 

What to expect by 2022

With more than 87 percent of households utilizing parks around the city, improvements are helpful to their upkeep. Although 95 percent of users rate park conditions to be excellent or good, Columbia Parks and Recreation has identified more than 70 parks that can benefit from upgrades.

“One goal that I look forward to is to be able to go back into some of our older parks and renovate shelters, playgrounds and athletic fields that individuals have used for many years,” Huffington says. “Outlining improvements to our current park system will give us the opportunity to provide neighborhoods with updated facilities and new amenities within parks that they frequent the most.”

– Equipment upgrades: Oakwood Hills Park is in need of a renovated playground and fitness equipment, an effort that would cost $25,000 and $15,000, respectively. The MKT trail is in need of trailhead improvements, which would run about $5,000.

– Improvements that are planned to exist by 2022, specifically expansions and new developments, are based on expected population growth in the city.

– Walk, bike, run: Walking and biking trails are the most visited by residents. The total miles expected for exercise, bicycle, multi-purpose, nature and jogging and walking trails in 2022 are about 131, compared to the 93 miles that were planned before.

– Neighborhood park: As of now, there are 34 neighborhood parks, most in suburban neighborhoods or in the central part of the city. Developing a neighborhood park within one-half mile of all residential areas, especially residential areas on the perimeters of Columbia, is a principal goal. During the next 10 to 20 years, five to 22 parks are expected to be developed. The estimated acquisition cost is $150,000 per neighborhood park.

– High priority: There are five potential parks that are considered to be a primary priority for the Parks and Recreation Department. Three parks in the north area of town — one north of Brown School and west of 763; one west of Highway 63, east of Paris Road and north of Vandiver Road; and one north of 1-70 and Clark Lane, west of Highway 63 and east of Paris Road — are of most concern. One park in the east area of town — north of Lake of the Woods golf course, south of Mexico Gravel Road and near Battle High School — and one in the southwest area near Mill Creek School and the intersection of Nifong Boulevard and Sinclair Road are also considered primary priorities.

– Gans Creek and Phillips Lake: “By 2022, the Gans Creek Recreation Area and Phillips Lake Park will be developed and in use for multiple groups of citizens in Columbia,” Huffington says. These two properties, which would include 12 athletic fields, a dog park and a new trail system, will create a regional park that is similar to the Cosmopolitan Recreation Area. In the long-term plans, the properties might also provide an indoor sport facility, ice rink and new aquatic facility, Huffington says. These long-term plans were identified with feedback from the public, and locations will be determined when funding is present.

– Bigger and better: By 2022, Columbia’s recreational areas should appear bigger and better than before and could even include some of the public’s wants. “We are fortunate to have a community that supports the park system and understands the benefits of Park and Recreation,” Huffington says.