COLUMBIA, S.C. — Wednesday, the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department invited residents to the Woodland Park community center to discuss the future of recreation in the Capital City.
Kenya Bryant is the Interim Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Columbia. He explained the reason for the survey.
“Well, this is our 10-year plan for the Parks and Recreation Department. We had a survey that we put out back in the early summer and the spring. We had over 5,000 surveys mailed out and we also had an online survey. So, this is all about the responses that we’ve received,” Bryant said.
Bryant said they received almost 1,100 responses to the survey, which asked residents what they wanted to see the deprtment focus on over the next 10 years.
“What do you want parks and recreation to look like in your community in the City of Columbia. That’s the main thing that we wanted. One thing that we did receive is more greenways, more connectivity, more green spaces, which is where the city is going as a whole,” Bryant explained.
During Wednesday evening's meeting, not only did officials discuss what adult respondents were looking for in their parks, but also what kids and teens want when it comes to the city’s recreation department.
In addition to beefed up security and better restrooms, one item that proved popular was expanded pickleball options.
Blake Faries plays pickleball and gave the city a grade of “B” when it comes to courts and facilities.
“There are some improvements as far as resurfacing the courts to make it a little bit safer, and it’s also a little bit more inviting for people to come out, especially with our tennis courts and our pickleball courts," Faries said.
The city is scheduled to host three additional information sessions. Those are set for Thursday, October 17th at the Leroy Moss Multipurpose Center, Wednesday, November 6th at the S. Edisto Park Neighborhood Center and Thursday, November 7th at the Charles R. Drew Wellness Center. All three meetings will start at 6:00 p.m.
The city continues to encourage the public to submit their ideas for recreation improvements.
Parks and recreation staff will incorporate all of the feedback into a 10-year recreation plan, then begin the work of lining up funding for the various projects, including funding that will require approval from the Columbia City Council.
Officials say they hope to tackle some of the smaller issues first, meaning residents could begin to notice improvements in just a few months.