Thank you to everyone who has shared concerns, suggestions and support for the protocols and practices we are establishing as we re-open our beloved Finlay Park. As our dedicated staff, hard-working contractors and I spend these final days preparing the park, this legacy and labor of love becomes even more of a reality!
Our commitment for this project is deeply rooted in intention, purpose, the strive for excellence, and of course the policy and directives of Columbia City Council. Those who have followed my tenure of almost 20 years at the City know very well that I do not operate in a vacuum or as a silo. I am collaborative and work in conjunction with our Mayor and Council members—consistently and in both good times and more challenging times. I certainly respect our form of government all the time—not picking and choosing times of convenience.
The Council/Manager form of government and my job require that I make recommendations to City Council and then execute based upon our collaborative discussions. This approach has certainly been taken with the major decisions regarding Finlay Park, and if anyone is suggesting otherwise to the citizens of Columbia, that is most unfortunate. In recent weeks, guidance was specifically given and voted upon by City Council regarding policy matters concerning Finlay Park. I appreciate Mayor Rickenmann and the City Council members who have been so supportive of our cherished asset, Finlay Park.
Excellence for Finlay Park involves decision making based upon a combination of our experiences, data, trying new concepts, being solutions-oriented, and most importantly, listening and being responsive. The clear bag policy is one example of our intention to share the policy upfront and listen to the feedback that I knew we would receive. Now, we are reviewing the feedback in the context of the data we already know for our community—not other communities. While we are receptive and responsive to our citizens and visitors regarding what they need to enjoy the myriad of new amenities Finlay Park will provide, it is also our responsibility to balance these needs and align them with public safety requirements. These requirements take into account our efforts to address several factors due to the location of the park: challenges regarding entering and exiting safely; the proximity to the Greenway; neighborhoods on the perimeter with hopefully more housing to come; nearby hospitality districts; and thankfully, a growing city.
Considering these safety requirements and addressing our community’s feedback, please refer to the attached graphic outlining the clear bag policy with additional clarifications.
Again, your feedback, our public administration and safety expertise, our history and current data inform the path forward for this fully activated space. I know these decisions will make even more sense as our citizens and visitors experience the secure and welcoming atmosphere we are working extremely hard to create.
Please accept my sincere thanks again for your understanding and excitement as we embark upon this next chapter for Finlay Park. We welcome EVERYONE to the re-opening festivities on November 15, 2025!
See video message: https://youtube.com/shorts/D7qPoeXm948
Teresa Wilson,
City Manager, City of Columbia
