Five Points Association Year in Review: 2016

As 2016 comes to a close, the Five Points Association takes this opportunity to reflect back on the many accomplishments they were able to achieve. Under the direction of the 13-person Board of Directors, and with the immense support of the City of Columbia, Richland County and the approximate 140 merchants, the staff of Columbia’s original village neighborhood briefly recap the past year’s projects, events, initiatives, and more:

CLEAN & SAFE EFFORTS:

• Continued the execution of an efficient and effective Clean & Safe Program to keep Five Points clean from trash and debris 7-days a week, and to help address aggressive panhandling issues and patron safety
• Made upgrades to the Clean & Safe program’s golf cart to increase its visibility, efficiency, and effectiveness
• Continued efforts to create a safer environment in Five Points by fiscally maintaining neighborhood-wide camera system
• Worked alongside Statewide Security Systems to identify areas lacking in surveillance coverage and securing live monitoring of security cameras in these areas during peak times
• Partnered with USC and the City of Columbia to continue the execution the continuation of the Night Transportation Corridor to Five Points

NEW & ANNUAL EVENTS (20):

• January 2016 – 34th Annual St. Pat’s in Five Points Line-Up Announcement Party
• February 2016 – Travels with Darley Viewing Party
• March 2016 – The Fountain Division of W.P. Law’s Official Kick-Off to St. Pat’s in Five Points
• March 2016 – 34th Annual St. Pat’s in Five Points and donated $54,000 to local charities and non-profits
• April – October 2016 – 18th season of Five After Five (4th Thursday of each month)
• August 2016 – Summer Sidewalk Sale (in conjunction with the Devine Street Association)
• August 2016 – 8th Annual Barstool Classic (benefiting the Babcock Center Foundation)
• September 2016 – Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Five Points Centennial Plaza
• October 2016 – JerryFest
• October 2016 – Trick-Or-Treating in Five Points
• November 2016 – 29th Annual Chili Cook-Off
• November 2016 – Unveiling Ceremony for Five Points Centennial Plaza, ft. a tribute to Col. Jack Van Loan
• November 2016 – Small Business Saturday
• December 2016 – A Starry Night

MARKETING & PROMOTIONS:

• Staff executed presentations to various non-profits and civic groups across the Midlands, including the Free Times “Summer in the City Series”, Columbia Rotary Club, West Metro Rotary Club, Five Points Rotary Club, Vista Rotary Club, Finlay House, Kiwanis Club, USC Journalism School, and more
• Staff participated in the City of Columbia’s “Together We Can Read” initiative for the second year
• Partnered with the American Heart Association to “Paint the Town Red” as a part of National Wear Red Day, to raise awareness for women’s heart disease
• Co-Hosted “Women in Fitness” event with new merchants Fit Columbia & The Swept Yard
• Continued partnership with local non-profit, Palmetto Luna Arts, to bring the Day of the Dead Celebration to the Five Points fountain
• Participated in “Make Music Day” with OneColumbia
• Gained state and regional attention for the neighborhood with NPR radio interview, concentrating on Centennial Celebration efforts
• Educated merchants on social media platforms and applications to enhance business pages
• Installed a second round of branded trash can wraps
• Created a promotional video as part of our Centennial Celebration, airing on the City’s channel 2
• Created and distributed annual calendar of events posters
• Designed and purchased custom visitors guide display containers with Five Points branding, to be distributed along with visitors guides, city and state wide

BEAUTIFICATION & GREEN EFFORTS:

• Construction of the Five Points Centennial Plaza, ft. a tribute to Col. Jack Van Loan
• Beautification of the Blossom Street train trestle
• Continued beautification efforts with the installation of custom LED/twinkle lights in the trees in the median of the 600 block of Harden Street
• Continued exploration of aesthetically pleasing and compliant options for future ADA mats and crosswalks

To find out more about Five Points, please visit www.FivePointsColumbia.com.