Columbia Parks and Recreation

In honor of Black History Month and Columbia's bicentennial, we are holding a free exhibit this month at the Armory Sports Center, highlighting the City's Black history. Drop by any weekday to take a look! #CoMo200 #BlackHistoryMonth CoMo200 - Columbia, Mo. Bicentennial

Snow day! Get out the sleds and hit the Sled Hill at Stephens Lake Park today. Access is on the east side of the lake, with parking off the Broadway entrance into the park.

January's activity box is available NOW at the ARC! This Pen Pal box includes so many ways to stay connected, even when you're apart. Pick one up during ARC business hours, now through Valentine's Day.

We're hiring! The City of Columbia is hiring a Maintenance Technician in Parks and Recreation. View the job description and apply: https://www.gocomojobs.com/postings/23238

We end 2020 and begin the new year with grateful hearts. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Today is the last day to give to the Parks and Recreation Fund through CoMoGives and receive an MKT Trail art poster! Donate at least $20 at the link below, the website will close at midnight tonight. We appreciate all the support shown to us throughout the campaign and all year long! https://comogives.com/prod/columbia-parks-and-recreation-4/

We all have a story. This expression of gratitude might be one of our favorite quotes. We received it this week along with a donation to the December ComoGives campaign for the Columbia Parks and Recreation Fund. In the last 5 years, Aquatic staff has: -- Performed 384 water rescues -- Administered assistance in 543 first aid incidents... -- Called EMS 49 times for assistance with medical emergencies -- Administered oxygen to 31 guests -- Administered AED lifesaving aid to two ARC guests who were experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, once in Jan 2016, and just recently in Dec 2020, three times to one guest. Imagine this conversation with your family at the end of your workday: Dad, "How was your day?" Lifeguard, "I saved someone's life today at the pool." Dad, "You win." We all win. #attitudeofgratitude #LoveParks https://comogives.com/prod/columbia-parks-and-recreation-4/

What's in a name? Many cyclists show their commitment and affection for their worthy "steeds" (aka bicycle) by referring to them by name. Mechanics at the CoMo Bike Co-op recently built this bicycle from donated/repurposed parts. We lovingly refer to this stitched-together creation as Frank N. Stein. Frank can be yours for a donation of $175 to benefit the CoMo Bike Co-op. This Diamondback Trace Dual Sport aluminum allow frame is a 2020 model donated by our friends from Cycl...eX Bike Shop (thank you very much!). The remainder of the 21-speed bicycle was brought back to life predominantly with repurposed bicycle parts. Incorporating a few new body parts, including a chain, grips and cables, make this human-powered machine a beast. Mutant components might appear somewhat freakish but overall this bicycle rides like a champ. Email [email protected] if you're interested in a test ride on this bicycle or others. The CoMo Bike Co-op is committed to increasing transportation independence through bicycle ridership, especially among Columbia’s most underserved individuals.

Our work goes well beyond parks, facilities, and leisure programs. Parks and Recreation's Career Awareness Related Experience (CARE) is somewhat of a nontraditional recreation program but we're proud of the impact we've made in the lives of approximately 8,000 local students. The program was established in 1982 by a steering committee together with several longtime Columbia Parks and Recreation employees, including the late Wynna Faye Elbert. CARE's program goal is for Colu...mbia's youth to be ready to enter the workforce and become productive, self-sufficient citizens. #attitudeofgratitude #LoveParks Please give what you can to keep quality parks, trails, and recreation programs available for all citizens. Proceeds from the Comogives.com campaign (ends tomorrow at 11:59 p.m.) benefit the Columbia Parks and Recreation Fund to help sustain and augment Parks and Recreation programs and facilities https://comogives.com/prod/columbia-parks-and-recreation-4/

Feeling anxious or stressed? Try what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku. Shinrin in Japanese means "forest" and yoku means "bath." So shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through our senses. According to this Time magazine article, "Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, refresh and rejuvenate us." Columbia has over 60 miles of trails, 9 nature areas, and 65 other parks to get your "shinrin-yoku" on!... https://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/

Open space, a lot of soap and a little creativity were needed to comply with the requirements of the public health order. Pandemic recreation programming at its finest. #attitudeofgratitude #LoveParks https://comogives.com/.../columbia-parks-and-recreation-4/

Win a Thanksgiving turkey at our Fowl Shot competition! The event is set for Nov. 14 at the Armory Sports Center. Registration is required and space is limited; COVID-19 guidelines will be in place. Give us a call to sign up at 573.874.7460.

Our forestry staff continues to work with volunteers from the CoMo Trails Association (COMOTA) to eliminate invasive plants and prune up cedar trees to improve the visibility around the Rhett's Run trailhead and Antimi Sports Complex parking lots. COMOTA is a group of volunteers dedicated to creating and maintaining the off-road trail experiences in and around Columbia, Missouri. They have been working on trail maintenance at Rhett's Run, Grindstone Nature Area, Rock Bridge State Park and Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary throughout the pandemic. The group is a great asset for our community as they promote and maintain access to our trails and nature areas.

Congratulations to Santiago and all the nominees!

Call the ARC to register, 573.874.7700.

Art is a gift that keeps on giving. Double your karma points by choosing a gift to help sustain and augment future Columbia Parks and Recreation programs and facilities, especially during difficult economic times. Donate a minimum of $20 to the Columbia Parks and Recreation Fund via the online ComoGives campaign to obtain this year's commemorative MKT Trail poster designed by local artist David Spear. The poster will accommodate a standard 13 x 19" frame. Visit our website for all the details: https://www.como.gov///columbia-parks-and-recreation-fund/

From now until Halloween, our October activity box is $10 with or without a subscription! Pick yours up at the ARC - 1701 W Ash Each box includes: - Ectoplasm Slime supplies - Spooky Glow Eyes craft kit... - Franken-Worms experiment - Pop Candy Balloon Blow-up experiment - Magic Scratch-off Mask craft - Spider-Web Balloons craft - Stickers - Origami Paper & Folding Instructions - Chocolate & Suckers - Mini Puzzle - Color-In Fuzzy Poster - Jack-O-Lantern Stencils - Temporary Tattoos See more

Bring Your Own Big Wheel is coming back to the ARC!

The King of the Mountain Video Game Night is returning to the Armory tomorrow night! Drop by for an evening of gaming, 5-7 pm for ages 10-15. Social distancing and mask guidelines will be enforced during the event.

Breaking News: Columbia has been selected to host the 2025 NCAA Divison I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country National Championships! This is a huge win for our com...munity and we can’t wait to host these incredible athletes at Gans Creek Cross Country Course with our partner Mizzou Athletics. Special shoutout to our facility host, Columbia Parks and Recreation. See more

Parks and Recreation's "Outside the Box" activity box subscription launches October 15th! For $10 per month, get a box full of themed activities, arts, crafts, and experiments. To register, please visit the ARC at 1701 W Ash. Look forward to November's box, which will be a Tie Dye kit!

Bike mechanics at the CoMo Bike Co-op have been busy repurposing donated bicycles and we're ready to release them to good homes where they will be loved and well cared for. We have more than 25 bicycles (most are bike shop brands) that are priced to sell! All the proceeds will benefit the CoMo Bike Co-op. Visit the CoMo Bike Co-op Pop Up Bike Sale Facebook event page at the below link to view descriptions and prices. Bike photos and sale details are posted in the comments. ...Viewing appointments will be scheduled as staff time allows, M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. through December 22. Updates will be posted to the Facebook Event Page as bicycles are sold. https://www.facebook.com/events/144009863835291/ CoMo Bike Co-op Mission Statement: The CoMo Bike Co-op is committed to increasing transportation independence through bicycle ridership, especially among Columbia’s most underserved individuals.

We're hiring! The City of Columbia is hiring a Senior Administrative Support Assistant. View the job description and apply: https://www.gocomojobs.com/postings/22598

Don't miss our first Gut the Gourd event next week! Bring the family for an evening of pumpkin decorating at the Armory. There are four sessions planned, at 5:45 and 6:45 on both Oct 19 and 21. Registration is limited and required due to limited space. Social distancing and COVID-19 guidelines will be in place. Call us to register at 573.874.7460.

Sign up your kiddos for our annual Pumpkin Party! Enjoy decorating a pumpkin, doing a craft and having a snack. For ages 2-5 with adult participant, the event will be held this Friday at Hillcrest Community Center. Social distancing will be in place and enrollment is limited. Give us a call to register at 573-874-7460.

Drop in tomorrow (Oct 13) from 4:30-6:30 pm to offer your input on improvements at Albert-Oakland Park. An interested parties meeting will be held at the park's Shelter #1, 1900 Blue Ridge Road. The project could include the replacement of shelter #1, restroom and the playgrounds on the east side of the park, rerouting two disc golf holes, and resurfacing three existing tennis courts to create six pickleball courts and one tennis court. Social distancing measures and the C...ity’s mask ordinance will be enforced during the meeting. An online survey is available for those who are unable to attend the meeting; the survey is located at this link: https://www.como.gov/CMS/WebForms/form.php?formid=392 Albert-Oakland Park improvements will be funded by the 2015 voter-approved Park Sales Tax.

Congratulations to Ciara and the other nominees from this past week!