City Council Highlights | August 1, 2023

During the consent agenda portion of the City Council Meeting, City Council approved the first of three sanitary sewer projects that will upgrade the existing system to serve the new Scout Motors facility (Item #9) and approved the Rosewood phase one waterline project that will replace aging infrastructure from South Saluda to South Holly Street (Item #12).
Also during the consent agenda portion of the meeting, City Council approved item #13, allowing the Finlay Park Revitalization and Construction Project to move forward.

Finlay Park is Columbia’s primary urban park, which consists of 17.5 acres in the heart of downtown. The revitalization of Finlay Park respects original iconic features within the park, while also incorporating community driven goals in the new construction; these goals include:

• Improving ADA circulation and making destinations accessible
• Providing a unique destination playground
• Increasing safety and visibility
• Revitalizing the fountain, waterfalls and pond
• Improving connectivity of pond
• Constructing new multi-use structures for events and park activation
• Relocating the band stage to project sound away from the adjacent neighborhood
• Integrating public art
• Improving the lawn areas for events
• Preserving the Vista Greenway connection

Revitalization efforts will include retaining the iconic spiral fountain, cascading falls and waterfall to a newly renovated central pond, which will then flow into an amenity stream. The new water features will be naturalized with gentle sloping littoral shelves to promote visitor safety and will incorporate sustainable techniques to capture and treat stormwater. New supporting facilities and amenities include an events stage and lawn, strolling gardens, restrooms, shade shelter, spray play, destination playground, enhanced lighting solutions, public art, office space for hospitality and park rangers, multiple walkways, accessibility upgrades, parking modifications and a plaza overlook that captures vistas of the downtown Columbia skyline.

Construction is expected to take approximately 22-24 months.

Mayor Daniel J. Rickenmann also shared a brief video recap of some of the items discussed at the City Council meeting. View the recap here: https://youtu.be/XXpOLASWQWc

For more information about upcoming City Council meetings or general information about the City of Columbia, please visit www.ColumbiaSC.gov.