Finlay Park Revitalization and Construction

Finlay Park is Columbia's primary urban park, in the heart of downtown. Originally designated as Sydney Park in 1859, the park fell into disrepair after the Civil War and not used again as a public park until it reopened in 1990 as Finlay Park. Robert Marvin, who was one of South Carolina most prominent landscape architects, designed the park to include a scenic fountain and waterfall, manmade pond, amphitheater, stage, open lawn area, playground and cafe building. Recent modifications to the original plan include the addition of the Vista Greenway in 2017 and a new playground area in 2018. The Vista Greenway created an uninterrupted trail from the neighborhoods of North Columbia to Finlay Park and the Vista District. This greenway will continue to expand connecting Finlay Park with the river and the developing Bull Street District in the near future. Finlay Park is comprised of 17.5 acres of prime real estate, (see Exhibit - Finlay Park Existing Site Conditions) and is a critical resource providing recreation, civic engagement and a sense of community for the City of Columbia. Long considered the City's crown jewel, Finlay Park has suffered considerable deterioration and park engagement due to deferred maintenance, challenges with original construction, adjacent high-volume streetscape, poor visibility and lack of programming. In 2014, the City Commissioned a consultant team to engage in a public master planning process for Finlay Park. The resulting plan communicated a shared vision for the redevelopment of the park as an engaging and highly functional amenity within the downtown core of Columbia. The master plan provided a framework for improvements that addressed the goals identified in the planning process, below: . Improve ADA circulation and make destinations accessible . Provide a unique destination playground . Increase safety and visibility . Rebuild/ improve the leaking fountain, waterfalls and pond . Add a bridge over the pond/ improve connectivity . Construct a new multi-use building for event space/ park activation . Relocate the band stage to project sound away from the adjacent neighborhood . Integrate public art into the project . Improve the visibility of the lawn areas for events . Preserve Vista Greenway connection . Improve connection between the Vista, Main Street & the river Question Cuttoff Date & Time 5/5/2023 12:00:00 PM (ET)

Division 11 -	Equipment, Play Field Equipment and Structures, Playground Equipment, Play Structures.
Division 31 -	Earthwork, Selective Clearing, Grading.
Division 32 -	Exterior Improvements, Athletic and Recreational Surfacing, Site Improvements, Fences and Gates, Planting.
Division 33 -	Utilities.