This quotation was called to mind as CA Board member Tom
Coale and Michael McCall from Strategic Leisure laid out the new vision for
Symphony Woods last week in Phil Nelsons office. After putting their fountain
in the park plan on hold last August, the Columbia Association has come back with a
bold vision for Columbia ’s
central park. This is much more than a café in the woods or an interactive fountain, it is a strategic plan that leverages an assortment of existing community
assets to benefit the whole.
The key elements of the plan are the CA headquarters
building and Toby’s Theater. CA, which has been engaged in a headquarters
search for the past year, would build a new 30,000 square foot office building
on top of a subterranean theater for Toby’s . Additionally, the Columbia Centerfor Theatrical Arts will finally have a permanent home for its children’s theater and the community will get a new function space to replace the now
shuttered Spear Center
To make it all work, a new trust with an independent board will
be established to oversee Symphony Woods. That is probably the biggest idea of
all. The trust will operate outside of the sometimes dysfunctional politics of
the CA board and will be able to apply for grants from outside organizations for
programs and installations.
The plan, which is being called the Inner Arbor, is long
range and will take years before being fully realized but certain
elements such as the CA headquarters and Toby’s theater will likely come sooner rather
than later. CA is facing a lease expiration on its current space and right now Toby’s is in a position to leverage its present building and land as part of
the overall Columbia
downtown redevelopment plan.
Nicely done CA. This plan stirred my blood.