Columbia to commit nearly $9 million for dilapidated Finlay Park
Efforts to transform downtown Columbia’s dilapidated Finlay Park back into a city “crown jewel” are finally getting serious.
Construction could begin by spring to fix the park’s iconic 27-foot fountain, which has been broken for several years, as well as to turn the rest of the park into a multi-use community hub with a large event space, a modern playground area, public art and abundant green spaces.
The plans have been in the works since 2019, but were put on hold when the pandemic arrived. Now, those plans are moving rapidly forward, and this time, the city is putting money on the table.
Revitalizing the 18-acre park will cost roughly $21.5 million — up from the $18 million price tag first estimated in 2019, when plans for renovation were first proposed. Inflation and the price of construction materials have increased the cost, said assistant city manager Henry Simons.
City Council has identified $8.5 million across several city accounts that will be put toward revitalizing the historic downtown park. The project also received $1 million from the most recent state budget.
The city plans to issue a 5-year bond for the more than $10 million still needed to complete the project. That bond would be issued this spring, the city’s chief financial officer, Jeff Palen, told council during a work session Tuesday.
“Our city staff worked with council and came up with a responsible way to fund Finlay Park that will have it finished and completely off our books in the next five years,” said Mayor Daniel Rickenmann.
Restoring the downtown gathering place has been a top priority for some on council, including Rickenmann and council member Joe Taylor, who have frequently named it as one of many ongoing projects the city needs to finish and move on from.
“Finlay Park will be critical to making a more connected, vibrant city and we are thrilled to get started on construction this spring,” Rickenmann added.
It is unclear exactly when construction will begin. The remodel is still being designed by architecture firm Stantec. Simons said that work likely won’t be finished until March. But construction is generally expected to begin this spring. He said that work will last between 15 and 18 months.
While plans for a new pond, improved walking paths and an updated playground will remain, the reconstruction will no longer include plans for a whitewater park headed by the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte.
A collaboration between the city and the whitewater center has been floated since 2018, when the center responded to a call from the city for project ideas for the failing park.
The plans would have included a rock-climbing wall, a restaurant, retail space and a handful of additional facilities. For now, those plans have proved too expensive for the city.
The proposal is not completely off the table, Simons said. But it won’t be included in the budget for the upcoming reconstruction.
“It’s still an idea,” Simons said, but any formal agreement is “completely on hold.”
Finlay Park’s renovation is expected to be a boon to growth downtown. Simons said the park’s revival will fill a void in that part of the city, which is growing in vibrancy and activity as The Vista and Main Street continue to blossom.
