Columbia park renovation was criticized for tree loss. How many got cut down?
After nearly 30 years without a major update, Columbia’s Mays Park near the intersection of Trenholm Road and Beltline Boulevard has reopened. The city spent nearly $1 million on new playground equipment, an updated splash pad, a new pickleball court and more. But the work also hit a nerve with some residents because the original plan included removing dozens of trees.
At the same time the city was beginning construction on the park upgrades last August, frequent user of the park’s tennis courts Ryan Marshall was starting a petition opposing the effort. And that petition seemed to work.
Initially, the city was going to remove 37 trees from the park. After Marshall’s petition garnered over 300 signatures, the city re-evaluated its plans and said it would instead cut down 25 trees – 21 pines and four oaks.
Now the work is done, the city says even fewer trees were removed. It reports that a total of 17 trees, including one “grand” pine tree, were cut down during the renovation. Grand trees, which for softwood like pine are 30” or more in diameter, have special city protection.
“I was never against them renovating the park,” Marshall said. “My concern is how many trees have been cut down. … [Citywide] we have lost a lot of trees.”
Indeed, Columbia’s overall tree cover has shrunk. Between 2005 and 2019, the city lost 22% of its tree cover, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of South Carolina. The loss of tree cover plays a role in the city’s overall heat problems, which plague Columbia every summer.
While the city says it removed fewer trees than it originally planned, the removal of the trees that were cut down was necessary to improve the park’s stormwater system, as well for safety reasons, city officials previously said. The city also said that several trees were in poor condition or at risk of falling.
Other community members have voiced excitement for the new park digs. “Thank you! It is wonderful to see so many people enjoying the new park,” one person wrote on Facebook after the re-opening. And after The State wrote about Marshall’s petition last year, several others emailed to share their excitement for the renovation.
Planning for the upgrades began in 2022 with an online survey and a community meeting, where residents shared what they most wanted to see. Suggestions included removing a parking lot behind the pavilion, expanding the walking trail to wrap around the park, and creating a landscaped buffer between the park and nearby homes.
Mays Park sits on roughly three acres and features tennis courts and a basketball tree alongside the playground and walking trail.
