Multiple council members were effusive in their support for the project.Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala said, “What’s not to like?,” and called the project a “win-win-win-win situation.”
Read MoreEvery council member supported the plan for Columbia Parks and Recreation to redevelop Clary-Shy Park into a new park and facility for several farming groups. The crowd at Monday's city council meeting applauded when the council approved it.
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Phase one construction will begin in early 2018 and is scheduled to be completed by summer of 2018. Features and components in this phase include the storm water detention basin upgrades, utility hookups, the concrete slab for the main market pavilion (called the MU Health Care Pavilion), and the center section of the pavilion, which includes public restrooms.
Read More"some businesses sign up for a monthly $20 contribution, which is $1,000 in a 4-year period. A number of naming opportunities are also available that will recognize donors once the park is built. Many of the businesses donors have allocated funds from their marketing budget to support the project. Everyone has a different ability to give, yet each gift is meaningful."
Read More“We all eat, right? So we all benefit from eating healthy foods. The agriculture park is a venue to support healthy living in this region.”
Read More“They’ve really come at this project very strategically. It’s beyond ‘if you build it they will come.’ They’re connecting with community residents to make this the best facility possible, which gives them a different level of authenticity. Not only that, they have the data to back up what the residents need. Combine all that with a varied group of partners, each of which is playing a part in making the park a success, I found it really impressive.”
Read More"The planning and zoning commission unanimously approved plans for the Clary-Shy agriculture park at Thursday night's meeting.
Read MoreA $400,000 grant from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program will be gifted to the city of Columbia to help fund the Clary-Shy Park Urban Demonstration Farm project, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service.
Read More"What's really neat about this project is that it's a public-private partnership, so it is leveraging resources that the city and the parks system has and it is leveraging resources that the nonprofit organizations involved can bring to the table".
Read More"I still remember taking pictures with my family near the pumpkins, I still remember what the inside of the barn looked like. So, you know, who knows why the things that stick in a kids’ head stick.
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At Saturday’s campaign launch the thousands of people in attendance were able to see into the future.
Read MoreThe largest contribution so far is $495,000 from University of Missouri Health Care.“This farmers market is a symbol of a glorious community,” said Jonathan Curtright, interim chief executive officer of MU Health Care.
Read More"This is a big project, it's like our child here. It takes a village to raise a child," Adam Saunders, the campaign director, said.
Read MoreDuring public announcements, Robbie Price, Campaign Chair, announced to the crowd that the campaign had already raised $1,707,142 surpassing the goal of $1.65 million needed to build phase one of the project.
Read MoreGriggs sees this park as an opportunity to bring something to the western part of Columbia that can rival the beauty of Stephens Lake Park."When this is done, there could be a really unique facility," Griggs said. "We see this as (a) gateway from the west."
Read MoreThe goals of this campaign are ambitious. They include educating children about food, improving the diets of everyone, revitalizing the west-central neighborhood and boosting local farms.
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"This grant will be to see what the community need is and what the desire for a kitchen is," said Billy Polansky,
Read More“The design is really intentional — they really thought about it,” said Tory Kassabaum, a regular at the farmers market who attended the informational meeting Wednesday. “What they are doing to turn the park into” a center focused on health and local farming “is really cool.”
Read More"We want to make sure we do it right. We want to make sure that what we’re proposing is well thought out."
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