Fire Pit in Stephens Lake Park

For all of those that like to enjoy a bonfire on a cool fall night or a simply as a place to warm during winter sports, Stephens Lake Park is the place for you.

Located near the Collins Shelter, the department constructed a 3-ft diameter fire pit. This pit, designed to meet all state and local laws regarding recreational fires may be rented or used on a first come first served basis. Wood for the firepit is provided by the Parks and Recreation Department and is kept on site only during the winter sports season.

When there is 4-inches or more of snow, park staff may be available to assist with starting fires in the pit. During these cases, trained Forestry staff may be seen utilizing the same fuel that they use in their driptorches. A driptorch is a tool used in wildland firefighting, controlled burning, and other forestry applications to intentionally ignite fires. This fuel, often representing a mixture of about 30% gasoline with 70% diesel, is commonly used in driptorches. Often you'll see Forestry staff using controlled burning to manage or assist the development of native prairies at the Forum, Grindstone, and Garth Avenue natural areas.

For the public, the use of gasoline is strictly prohibitive as a fuel to start the fire. As the below fire pit rules indicate, the department recommends that paper or manufactured logs be used to ignite the fire.

1. The fire pit is considered part of the Collins Shelter and is not available to others if the shelter is reserved. If the shelter is not rented, it is available on a first come, first served basis.

2. The Collins Shelter is used as the warming area during the Winter Sports Season. Therefore, the shelter and fire pit is not available for rental during winter sports activities such as sledding, ice skating and cross country skiing.

3. Columbia Fire Department permits are not required.

4. It is the responsibility of the renter to provide fuel for burning. State laws dictate that only natural materials such as aged logs may be burned. Items such as pallets, scrap lumber, treated lumber, tires, leaves, etc, are expressly prohibited. Logs shall be limited to three foot (3’) in length.

5. Combustible fuels such as gasoline, diesel or kerosene shall not be used to start or keep fires burning. Charcoal lighter fluid, paper or manufactured starter logs are recommended.

6. It is against City of Columbia Ordinances for any person in a park to damage, cut, or remove any tree or branch in a park. Therefore, renters should not expect to find burning materials in the park.

7. Fires must be kept with the boundaries of the designated fire pit. State laws require that recreational fires may be no larger than three foot by three foot (3’ X 3’).

8. It is the responsibility of the renter to extinguish the fire upon completion of the event. A frost proof water hydrant is located near the shelter. It is recommended that the renters should bring a 25-foot garden hose or a 5 gallon bucket for fire control and to extinguish the fire. No hose or bucket will be provided by the City. The water hydrant is locked and renters must check out a key on the last business day prior to their event.

9. All logs that have not been burned must be removed by the renter. Logs that have been partially burned may be left in the fire pit.

10. Straw or hay bales are not to be used for seating and/or decorative purposes.

11. All fires will be inspected by the Park Ranger to insure compliance with the above policy.

Why don't we remove snow from trails? Cross Country Skiing!

After each snowfall, someone usually calls in to request that we send in the snow removal team to plow and remove the snow from the trail. We then politely explain that while crews will clear the parking lots at the trail heads, it is our policy to not remove the snow from the trails.

Why?

After each snowfall, someone usually calls in to inquire if they can go cross country skiing on the trails. The answer to that question is "yes" and it is an activity that the department strongly encourages. Cross country skiing is a terrific way to enjoy Columbia's trails in the winter. As with all outdoor activities, cross country skiing can take your mind off the stresses of the daily grind and allow you to spend some quality time with family and friends or just enjoy a solo, quiet time on the trail. It's also a great low-impact aerobic activity, enabling you to burn up hundreds of calories per hour without straining joints such as ankles and knees.

The one concern of using the trails for cross country skiing is the gravel or aggregate surface of the trail. Most of Columbia's trails are gravel and if the snow isn't deep enough, the rocks could scratch and gouge your skis. So, be sure to inspect the trail prior to heading out. Usually, any snowfall of 4-inches or more will allow you to ski without many problems.

If you don't want to use the trails, all of Columbia's parks are open for cross country skiing with the exception of the two golf courses. Unlike the parks, the golf courses are closed during times of snow accumulation. The entry gates are locked and the parking lots are not cleared of snow.

The best parks for cross country skiing include Stephens Lake Park, Cosmo Park, Cosmo-Bethel Park, Albert-Oakland Park and of course many of the smaller neighborhood parks.

Rock Bridge State Park also has some designated cross country ski trails and information may be found in their latest "The Bridge" newsletter or by calling the RBSP office at 573-449-7402.

Twin Lakes Dog Park -- Council Report

First of all, a special thanks to the 35 or so of you that took the time to come out to the Twin Lakes Shelter for our dog park planning meeting on October 28, 2009. We did not know what to expect in terms of numbers and were very pleased with the turnout.

If everything goes as planned, there will be a report about the creation of a "winter dog park" at the Twin Lakes Recreation Area (TLRA). As a Council report, we are informing Council members about the plans for this coming winter. We indicate that for the months of December 2009, January 2010 and February 2010, we will be opening the former swimming lake area of the Pirates Landing aquatic facility as a temporary winter dog park. The current dog park will be closed as an off-leash area (OLA). In the spring, we will conduct a second dog park planning meeting to see how it went and evaluate whether or not to continue this practice.

This report also presented a copy of the proposed rules and regulations that were handed out at the dog park meeting and posted on our website. We reported some of the concerns that were brought up at the meeting and indicated that we would continue to work with the users to develop a final set of guidelines or rules of etiquette.

Once the Council agenda is set and released to the public, we will post a copy of the Council report and all handouts for everyone to see.

Thanks again for your help!

Lake of the Woods Golf Course Closing? NO!

It probably started with a little rumor, but has since grown into emails and phone calls where golfers are asking if it's true that the City was closing Lake of the Woods Golf Course due to budget problems.

While it's true we do have budget concerns in the City and our department, we are in no way planning on closing any golf courses. Both LOW and L.A. Nickell Golf Courses are currently open and will continue to operate through this fiscal year and many more.

So, let's take advantage of this good weather and get out there and enjoy these two golf courses!

Bear Creek Trail to Reopen Nov 17

Ok, this has nothing to do with flooding, but it's something that trail users will be glad to hear.

As indicated in the below press release, the new Providence Road north extension will officially open with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Nov 17. This projected started at the terminus of Providence Road (near Vandiver) and continues to Blue Ridge Road. It required a bridge over Bear Creek and the adjacent BC trail. Due to safety concerns, the Bear Creek Trail was closed and users were re-routed....a long and difficult route I might add around this area. The new road project also provided better access to the trail in the Vandiver area.

We are glad to see this project completed and applaud the City's Public Works Department for their efforts in seeing that the project was completed on-time and that the trail was restored and improved.

Ribbon cutting planned for Providence Road expansion

(COLUMBIA, MO) - The city of Columbia invites the public to a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the new Providence Road north extension on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 3:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held north of Vandiver Drive on Providence Road at the new bridge. This project consists of a new roadway from Vandiver Drive to Blue Ridge Road, complete with a new multi-span bridge over Bear Creek and new sidewalks. The total cost for design and construction is $4.7 million. Funding comes from the following sources: federal Surface Transportation Program, Transportation Sales Tax, quarter cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax, Capital Fund Balance and development fees.

With the completion of this roadway and bridge, Bear Creek Trail will reopen to trail users on Nov. 17. The trail was closed during the construction while a new bridge was built over the Bear Creek.

Why does Columbia build parks during a recession?

Grasslands Park, 21 East Clarkson Road, was dedicated on Oct 10, 2009
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The below article was written by Michael J. Hood, Director of the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department. It was submitted to the Columbia Business Times.
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Recently, Columbia Parks and Recreation dedicated two new neighborhood parks — Grasslands Park at 21 E. Clarkson Road and Auburn Hills Park at 4101 Derby Ridge Drive. In addition, public park meetings have been underway for long-range planning of Bonnie View Park at 3300 Rollins Road and the new regional park in southeast Columbia, which consists of Philips Park and the Gans Creek Recreation Area. These parks are in the early planning and design stages, with development scheduled in the coming years.

In these tough economic times, several might ask the question: Why is Columbia building or acquiring more parks? The simple answer is: These parks were promised to the voters who approved the 2005 Park Sales Tax ballot issue. Columbia citizens voted to extend the 1/8 cent Park Sales Tax to fund specific park acquisition, development and renovation projects. The Parks and Recreation Department is working diligently to complete these projects and fulfilling our commitment to the voters.

Even though these issues were promised, does it still make sense to keep funding what some might think is a nonessential service? Although life and safety issues are critical, consider that Columbia's parks:

• are used by 90 percent of Columbia residents
• increase property value for surrounding homes
• preserve green space and natural habitat
• contribute to a community’s quality of life (helping to attract and keep employers and jobs)
• provide affordable or free family recreation
• provide a place for community events
• provide avenues for fun, relaxation, stress relief, enjoying nature and exercise

A national poll commissioned by the Trust for Public Land in July 2009 asked more than 2,000 U. S. adults this timely question: During this period of economic difficulty, have you and your family changed how much you make use of public parks and playgrounds? The results revealed a definite increase in the use of public parks and playgrounds, especially among park users with children in the household.

Some might also wonder if this is a good time to be buying park land. Alan Front, a senior vice president of the Trust for Public Land, was quoted in the April 27, 2009, Los Angeles Times as saying: “Property values are not today what they were a year ago. So every dollar that is invested…probably buys a little bit more habitat, a little bit more recreational trail, a little bit more scenic vista than it bought a year ago. For bang for the buck, there’s never been a better time.”

The acquisition and preservation of parks and green space is something that must be done when the opportunity presents itself. Communities that do not take opportunities to preserve valuable natural resources when they can might ultimately have regrets. Stephens Lake Park is a great example of taking advantage of such an opportunity. Columbia voters chose to preserve it for a park rather than letting it be developed for commercial ventures. Stephens Lake has become a popular destination for Columbians; on many days you will find it filled with people splashing on the spray-grounds, walking the trails, fishing and otherwise enjoying the park. It is host to weddings, family celebrations and community events.

It is difficult to think of Columbia without a Stephens Lake Park or even a Cosmo Park. More than 50 years ago, the City Council made the decision to turn the old municipal airport into a regional park that is now home to some of the finest athletic fields in the Midwest. These sports fields generate hotel room bookings, restaurant visits and retail sales that would otherwise go elsewhere in our state.

So, as you hear announcements of new park land purchased, new parks developed or renovations of existing parks, it is our hope that you see it as a reminder that your Parks and Recreation Department is working hard to keep its commitment to those projects and facilities that were approved with the Park Sales Tax. Difficult choices must be made during this trying economic period, but when it comes to ensuring the health of our planet — and our children and grandchildren — some choices just shouldn’t be that hard. After all, a promise is a promise.

Park/Trail Restrooms Open for the Winter

On October 12, I wrote a rather long post regarding the closing of our facilities for the winter. That post explained all of the details regarding why and how facilities are closed. However, after a few Park Patrol members (and some of our staff!) kept asking questions, I felt we needed something short and sweet on which restrooms will be kept open from now until mid-April.

Only 4 restrooms will stay open this winter:

1) MKT Trailhead restroom at Scott Blvd
2) MKT Trailhead restroom at Forum Blvd
3) Stephens Lake Park restroom located between the Collins & Gordon Shelters
4) Cosmo Park restroom located between the Nickell and Lamb Shelters

This is a change from previous years and is a result of a cut-back in the department's budget. We usually keep more restrooms open including the exterior restroom at Stephens Lake Park's Riechmann Pavillion, the restroom at Comso-Bethel Park, the Dexheimer restroom in Cosmo park, and the restroom at Nifong Park. However, in an effort to help save city funds, we felt that closing these facilities would impact the fewest number of users as compared to any of the four restrooms that were kept open.

Hopefully, by this time next year, the City's financial situation will have improved enough that we will be able to open up a few more restrooms for the winter.

Tiger Night of Fun at Hearnes Center

Check out the Missourian video from Saturday night's Tiger Night of Fun at the Hearnes Center. Lots of cute kids and even better comments!!!

A special thanks to the recreation staff for putting on such a great event each year. With their help and those of the sponsors, especially the University of Missouri, this event just keeps getting better each year.

Strawn Road Bow Hunting Area Open: 10/23 5:00 pm

As of 5:00 pm Friday, Oct 23, the water has receded and while muddy, the Strawn Road property is open for all registered archery hunters. It is recommended that only 4-wheel drive vehicles attempt to park in the designated turf area parking lot.

Trail Condition Updates: Friday, 10/23/09

We've been getting some calls asking if any trails are flooded and as of 11:30 am on Friday, Oct 23, we are happy to report that all trails are still above flood waters. Park crews are nearly finished cleaning out the sand and silt that was deposited in the downtown and MKT Stadium tunnels and will begin inspecting all trails this afternoon.

Strawn Road Archery Hunt--Temporarily Closed Oct 23

All archery hunters should be aware that the Strawn Road site is temporarily closed due to flooding. As of Friday, Oct 23 the site is under approximately 3-ft of water. It is likely that the water will continue to rise and peak sometime today. Even when the water recedes, the turf parking area will likely be too soft for vehicles until early next week.

Once the water has receded, archery hunters may use the site at their own risk.

Trail Condition Updates: Monday, 10/19/09

Despite having a few staff members home sick, we were able to get back on the trail today and nearly complete the MKT. Here's an update:

MKT: New holes at bridge #1 & 8 repaired. Final trail surface mix has been spread, rolled and compacted. Trail is essentially repaired although additional rock is needed along shoulder in one particular area. However, this shouldn't impact any trail users.

Bear Creek Trail: Began adding 1" roll stone along washouts from Creasey Springs Trailhead entrance heading west toward Cosmos Park. Anticipate a few more days and this trail will be repaired and staff will be able to get to the Hinkson Creek Trail.

Trail Update, Sunday Oct 18

Unfortunately, Forestry staff (they are also responsible for trail maintenance) was called to remove some hazard trees on Friday and were unable to conduct trail maintenance activities.

It may be Tuesday before trail maintenance work resumes.

Trail Condition Updates: Thursday, 10/15/09 Afternoon

Additional rain has caused a pause in most trail repair work. Heavy trucks on already soft trail can lead to rutting and uneven trail construction.

MKT Trail: Unstable soil conditions caused holes on either side of bridge 13 trail approaches. These holes have been repaired today. Depending on the weather, the plan for Friday is to roll and compact MKT from Forum to Sewer plant # 2 and then apply 3/8 surface rock next week.

Bear Creek Trail: Staff will start rebuilding at Cosmo to Creasy Springs on Friday as well.

Hinkson Creek Trail: As of this date, the trail is usable, but it does need 3/8 surface and a couple of low spots fixed. Staff will get to this after MKT and Bear Creek.

Trail Condition Updates: Tuesday, 10/13/09 Afternoon

Bear Creek Trail: All tunnels clean and clear of sand and silt. Most of the trail has been preliminarily gone over with a tractor and box blade and is passable, but rough.

MKT: All of 1-inch rollstone down, most of it packed with roller. Need to finish smoothing out one minor area and finish with surface rock.

Weather pending, staff will be back out on the trails on Wednesday.

Trail Condition Updates: Tuesday, 10/13/09 Morning

Staff will be working on the MKT Trail and Bear Creek Trail today with a goal of adding 1-inch rollstone on all washed out sections of the trail. After adding the 1-inch stone, staff will roll and compact this layer. If we are able to get this accomplished, staff will add the surface rock on Wednesday and again roll and compact this last layer.

All trails are usable, but cyclists with street tires should be extremely cautious when riding as there are still sections that are rough.

Park Facility/Restroom Closings

October marks the time when many parks and outdoor facilities find their use slowly decreasing with each drop of the thermometer. Outdoor swimming pools have already closed and park staff has already began winterizing these facilities.

What do we mean by winterizing? First, many of our park restrooms, pool bathhouses, and concession stands do not have heat. If it gets below freezing, we run the risk of water lines and valves breaking causing several thousand dollars worth of damage. Therefore, before the temperatures start to freeze, we begin to close these facilities by draining the water from all vulnerable lines.

When do facilities close? Generally speaking, our goal is to have all non-heated facilities closed by October 15. This date is a fairly standard closing date for many municipalities in Missouri. As the date approaches, we begin watching the long range weather forecasts and if it appears that we can extend the closing date, we will. For example, this year, Oct 15 is on a Thursday. We may try to stretch the closing date to Monday, Oct 19 so that we can get one more weekend use out of the facilities. It all depends on the forecast. All facilities are re-opened by April 15.

When it warms up, why don't you unlock them? There are times when Missouri temps will be unseasonably warm even in December and January so why don't we just unlock the restrooms during those warm days? It's not as simple as just turning the water back on and unlocking the door. In addition to draining the lines, we also disassemble all of the stainless steel valves and add RV antifreeze to the lines. This takes about 8 hours of labor per each restroom and a bit longer to reassemble and safely remove the antifreeze.

When do specific facilities close? It varies depending on the facility and use. For example, the concession/restroom facilities located at the Rainbow Softball Center, soccer and the Antimi complexes remain open until their respective seasons end, usually around the first of November. Park staff uses electric heaters to prolong the use of these facilities.

Most restrooms and drinking fountains close October 15. This includes the new restrooms at Kiwanis Park and Fairview Park.

The Stephens Lake Park Sprayground and the Flat Branch Park Sprayground is closed from October 1 to April 30. We have found that the cooler temperatures drastically reduce the use of these facilities.

Nifong Park restroom closes on November 1.

Through the voter approved 2005 Park Sales Tax, the department was able to construct three new replacement restrooms, 2 in Cosmo Park and 1 in Cosmo-Bethel Park that are similar to the restrooms at Stephens Lake Park. These new restrooms will be heated. The Burford/Dexheimer and the Cosmo-Bethel restrooms will close on November 1. The Nickell/Lamb restroom will remain open year round.

In addition to the Cosmo Nickell/Lamb restroom, the following restrooms will remain open all winter:
Stephens Lake Park: Collins and Gordon restroom
MKT Trailhead Restrooms: Forum Blvd and Scott Blvd

Port-a-pots will be placed in the following areas from Oct 15 to April 15:

MKT Stadium Trailhead

Grindstone Nature Area

Bear Creek Trail-Garth Trailhead

Bear Creek Trail-Creasy Springs Trailhead

CCRA Skatepark

So, as you plan your events, please be aware of these facility closing dates.

Trail Condition Updates: Monday evening, 10/12/09

Bear Creek Trail - Silt & sand has been removed from tunnel under Creasey Springs Road. Grading started on most sections of trail, but it is still very rough. Cyclists should be extremely cautious.

MKT Trail - All tunnels cleaned of debris. The 4' foot sinkhole located in the middle of the trail between bridges 12 & 13 has been filled and barricades removed. Trail washouts between Forum and bridge 10 filled with 3-inch base rock and graded. Surface rock to be installed Tuesday. This section of MKT Trail is still rough, but much improved. Cyclists should be extremely cautious.

Lights in the MKT Providence Road Tunnel (at Flat Branch Park): Just a note that staff has installed 6 lights inside the tunnel to improve visibility during the dusk/dawn hours as well as a way to ease the transition of leaving bright daylight and entering into a dark tunnel. During flood events, the lights have a disconnect that shuts off the power. So, if you find that the lights are off, make sure you proceed with extreme caution, especially during the night hours when visibility is poor.

Trail Condition Updates: Monday, 10/12/09

This is not so much an update on the trail conditions as much as letting everyone know where staff is heading this morning. The department's Forestry program is responsible for all trail maintenance and their program area consists of a Forester, Groundskeeper II, Groundskeeper I and an Equipment Operator II. The program also has 3 seasonal employees at this time of year.

1. Downtown tunnels. Two staff members are heading downtown to clean out all of the tunnels that still had water rushing through it on Friday. Depending on the severity of the deposited debris, these should be clear by the end of the day.

2. MKT Trail. A larger crew is heading to the MKT Trail to concentrate on the sink holes and begin work on the trail, specifically the sections between Forum and Scott Blvd. This will likely take a few days.

3. Bear Creek Trail-Creasy Springs. Since it's too wet to mow, some of our mowing crew will be assisting with the removal of the sand and silt that was deposited on the Bear Creek Trail. Areas of concentration will be between Creasy Springs Road and Cosmo Park.

Once the MKT Trail is back in operational shape, staff will touch-up on the Hinkson Creek Trail.

If anyone has any trail problems to report or simply want to bring something to our attention, please do not hesitate to send me an email at mbg@GoColumbiaMo.com.

This blog will be updated again at the end of the day.

Deer Hunting: Flood at Strawn Road Sat update

As of 8:30 am Saturday morning, 10/10/09, the flood waters has receded from the temporary parking lot at the Strawn Road property. This is a popular area for deer hunters and the area remains open for hunting. While the parking is now visible and free of limbs and debris, the ground is saturated and all deer hunters should use caution when attempting to park in this area.

Trail Condition Updates: Saturday, 10/10/09

Water has receded from all trails and conditions remain just about the same as Friday afternoon with one exception: a large "sink hole" has appeared in the middle of the MKT Trail. This hole, about 3-4 feet in diameter is located between bridge 12 and 13 and is blocked off with a barricade.

All users should be cautious when using the trail, especially between Twin Lakes and Scott Blvd as additional holes may develop without warning.

Trail Condition Updates: Friday, 10/9/09

Hinkson Creek Trail (P&R Section) water receded- minor silting and gravel wash out, trail in fairly good condition.

Bear Creek Trail: Water receded and trail is rough, but passible for walkers from Cosmo park sled hill to Creasey Spring parking lot. Accumulation of sand/silt in trail tunnel under Creasey Springs road. Parking lot is partly covered with water and mud. The trail from the boardwal to wetland bridge is rough, but passible for walkers. Bikers should be cautious and slow down.

MKT Trail Tunnels--Caution!: Downtown tunnels mostly clear, Providence Road tunnel still has some water moving through it. Stadium Blvd tunnel still has fair amount of water running through it and quite a bit of debris. Proceed with caution at all tunnels. Watch for warning cones.

MKT Trail--Caution!: Water receded and trail is very rough with large washouts from about the 2 mile marker (bridge #10) to 2.6 mile near Forum Blvd crossing. Parking lot at Twin Lakes now open. Water on Scott blvd lot has receded and trail is accessible with minor silting and wash outs. Trail west toward county side is water covered.

Trail Conditions Update: 7/1/09

All multi-use trails are in good conditions. Examples of multi-use trails would be the MKT, Bear Creek and Hinkson Creek Trails.

Trail Conditions Update 6/22/09

Bear Creek Trail: There are still repairs being made at the Bear Creek Trail near the Garth access point (near the boardwalk). Use trail with caution in this area.

All other trails have been repaired and are open.

Bear Creek Trail Conditions: 6/17/09

Bear Creek Trail: Open, but use with caution. There are areas on the trail were washouts have occurred. There are also sand deposits in different locations on the trail. Fresh rock is currently being added and repair is ongoing.

MKT Trail Conditions 6/17/09

MKT Trail: Open, but use with caution. The debris on the trail and in the tunnels is being cleared.

Trail Condition Update: 6/17/09

Currently, the Bear Creek Trail is being worked on at the Garth Access. The MKT is having its tunnels cleaned out, but is open. All other trails are open.

New Fencing and Gates at Twin Lakes Recreation Area

There has been new fencing and gates put up at the dog park in the Twin Lakes Recreation Area.

Port-a-Pots Removed

Port-a-Pots along the MKT Forum, MKT Scott, CCRA Nickell, and Cosmo Bethel will be removed. This will save the department $4,000. There are new restrooms being built, they will be open year round when completed.

Attention Dog Owners and Park Users

We want to notify you that next to all Mutt-Mitt dispensers there is also a dispenser which will hold plastic grocery bags. We want to encourage everyone who uses the parks to contribute their extra plastic grocery bags to the dispensers. Due to the tightening of the budget we are limited on how many Mutt-Mitt bags we can buy. However, with your help there should be plenty of plastic bags available on-site to help with the removal of dog waste.

Twin Lakes Recreation Area Open

Twin Lakes Recreation Area is open for the 2009 season. Little Mates cove will open on June 6. The Pirates Landing Swimming Lake will be closed for the 2009 season due to the budget. By closing the swimming lake for the summer Columbia Parks and Recreation is able to save around $17,000.

Columbia Parks and Recreation Calendar

To view our calendar of upcoming events click here, http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/webcal/month.php?cat_id=2.

National Trails Day 5K/10K and Nature Expo

The fifth annual celebration of National Trails Day will take place June 6 in Columbia. To learn more about the event read our news release, National Trails Day 5K/10K and Nature Expo.

Free Wireless Internet in Parks

Free Wifi now available at Stephens Lake Park and Flat Branch Park. To learn more read our news release, http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/About_Us/documents/WiFiintheParks.pdf.

Trail Condition Updates: Tuesday, 5/19/09

Hinkson Trail is good to ride on, 1" roll stone has been applied to the trail.
There will be further improvements made to the MKT and Hinkson Trails in the near future.
The Bear Creek Trail is beginning to have 1" roll stone applied to the trail from Creasey Springs to Cosmo Park.

Trail Condition Updates: Monday, 5/18/09

We got fairly lucky despite the 2-3 inches of rainfall we received Friday night. The Bear Creek Trail has a lot of sand deposits on the trail. These areas will be soft.

The Hinkson and MKT Trails are fairly decent with relatively few wash-out areas. Park staff has added surface rock to most of these areas.

Trail Condition Updates: Friday, 5/15/09

Trails are open and nearing normal condition, just in time for more rains! Let's hope the weather forecast is wrong and we miss these heavy rains.

Trail Condition Updates: Friday, May 8, 2009

All trails are clear of debris and are open. New rock has been added on the MKT, Hinkson and Bear Creek Trails so please use trails with caution as these areas are likely going to be soft until staff has the opportunity to compact the surface rock.

Trail Status-Friday May 1

As of 5:00 pm Friday, May 1 here is the status of Columbia's trails:

MKT Trail: Open but use with caution. Fresh rock has been added and repair is ongoing. Bikes with narrow street tires and young children should be especially careful when riding through the newly added rock.

Bear Creek Trail: Open, but use with caution. From Creasy Springs to Cosmo Park there are sand deposits on trail.

Hinkson Creek Trail: Open, but use with caution as there are puddles on sections of trails which may cause problems.

It is unknown what the Friday evening rains have done to the trails so all users should exercise caution.

4/30/09 Trail Status

3:30 pm.

Due to flooding, the following Columbia Parks and Recreation Department trails were closed:

MKT Trail: MKT Stadium Blvd access to Forum Blvd.
MKT Trail: Bridge #12 to Scott Blvd access. Parking lot at Scott under water.
Bear Creek Trail: Creasy Springs access to Cosmo Park.

Check back for regular updates.

New Policy on Athletic Field Cancellations

Wednesday, April 29 marks the beginning of an experiment regarding athletic field cancellations. Historically, if one field at a particular complex was too wet to play, all games at that complex were cancelled. So if the Blue and Orange fields were too wet, all games at the Rainbow Softball Center were cancelled.

This policy was largely created due to the problems relating to the player/parent notifications. For many years, the department relied primarily on the "P&R Hotline" a single line phone answering system where all of the department cancellations were verbally listed. Additionally, the local radio stations were called and they notified users over the air. Of course, not all radio stations reported cancellations as accurately as one hoped. There were many times that users heard "All parks and rec leagues are cancelled" when it fact only a specific complex was cancelled or it might have been a radio station based out of Jefferson City and they really meant that all Jeff City P&R leagues were cancelled as Columbia leagues were playing. Anyway, it was too difficult to try to cancel on a field by field basis so cancellations were made on a "complex" basis, ie, Rainbow Softball Center, Antimi, Albert-Oakland, American Legion, Hickman and Atkins.

Now, the department uses a combination of verbal and text methods to notify users. For the past few years, parents and players have been able to sign up for an email listserve which notifies users via an email whenever a game decision is made. Recently, the department added "texting" as an alternate method to receive cancellations notice. If you would like to sign up for one of these two options go to our "cancellations" web page and follow the easy instructions.

The ability of the P&R department to send you detailed information has made it viable for us to cancel games on a field-by-field basis. Wednesday, April 29 was the first time this was tried as the Orange and Blue fields were too wet at Rainbow but the other four fields were playable.

This experiment will continue throughout the 2009 season and will be evaluated to see whether or not to make this policy permanent.

So, as you receive your emails or texts, make sure you read them carefully!

NBC's new TV Show: "Parks and Recreation"

Check out video previews of NBC's new TV show titled "Parks and Recreation" starring Amy Poehler from "Saturday Night Live." Show airs on Thursdays, starting April 9. I posted my favorite.

Here's a link to the show's fictional "City of Pawnee." Read Leslie's (Poehler) welcome. It's really good. Here's a blurb:

"Want to breathe some fresh air and toss a frisbee around? Visit any one of our terrific parks! (Except Ramsett Park, where frisbees are still prohibited due to the unfortunate dog-related incident last September.)"

Video Recaps Full Episodes Webisodes

Coming Soon: Corporate Sponsors of Parks?

Instead of playing soccer games in Cosmo Park, how about playing your games in Purina Park or maybe on the 3M Athletic Complex? It may not happen here in Columbia, MO but it could happen in Suffolk County NY.

As discussed in the Newsday.com website: "Lou D’Amaro (D-Huntington Station) has introduced a bill that would raise revenue by allowing businesses to sponsor suitable locations within county parks. Sponsorship would give business owners an opportunity to increase their exposure and involvement in the local community, while at the same time providing additional revenues for county parkland protection, management, and maintenance without raising taxes."

Considerations such as the type of business, sponsor amount and specific location are all critical to the success of such a venture. For example, many communities wouldn't want an adult bookstore as a sponsor but may be fine with sponsorships from alcohol products for adult sports leagues.

Not everyone is okay with this proposed legislation. In a blogger response, "Dale" states: "The trend of corporate sponsorship for civic spaces is very very troubling and simply plays to the fear our elected representatives have for responsible taxation, the short-sightedness of voters who want something for nothing, and the willingness of corporations to get inexpensive promotion."

Who knows what will happen down the road with this issue of corporate sponsorships? So maybe next spring, instead of planting your garden at Paquin or Fairview, you could be planting at Steel Reserve Park!

Philly: 207 apply for 9 seats on new Parks & Recreation Commission

Philadelphia is facing extreme budget problems and last year closed nearly all of their swimming pools. In July, voters approved a measure that would merge the Fairmount Park Commission and the Department of Recreation, creating a new Parks and Recreation Department. As noted in the article:

"The clamor of so many candidates for the parks and recreation panel is another positive step in the effort to remake a city jewel. That's what voters called for in November when they merged parks with recreation, as most cities do. The advisory panel will set policy in vital areas such as parkland preservation."

Philadelphia is finding that a combined, comprehensive parks and recreation department is the most economical and efficient method to provide recreational opportunities for its' citizens.

More information may be found at the Philly.com

Twin Lakes Fishing Dock Damaged

Guess the sudden micro-burst we had on Saturday, Dec 27, 2008 was a bit more serious than we thought.

The wind turned over the fishing dock located at the Twin Lakes Recreation Area. Park staff is working with several vendors to determine whether the dock can be partially save or if a new one is necessary. Park staff has flipped the dock back over.