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Council orders reengagement with donors and community after Douglas Park court naming backlash
Summary
After multiple community speakers urged recognition of longtime local coaches and criticized proposed branding at Douglas Park, the council voted unanimously to ask staff to reengage with project donors and return with a community outreach plan; staff said court markings will be paused while the process proceeds.
Columbia City Council voted Monday to ask Parks and Recreation staff to reengage with donors and produce a plan for broader public outreach after residents objected to the donor‑driven naming and branding for renovated basketball courts at Douglas Park.
The motion, made by Councilmember Valerie and seconded by the mayor, passed unanimously. Parks Director Gabe Huffington told the council staff will proceed with infrastructure work but pause final court markings—the donor logos and painting that prompted the protests—until the city conducts additional engagement.
"We are very much in line with what's been proposed this evening," Huffington said, adding staff will discuss next steps with project donors and then develop a public input process. "I just wanna make sure nobody gets really mad when they see a dump truck there and we starting work. Just know that we wouldn't proceed with any court markings until we work through this process."
Scores of speakers during general comment and scheduled remarks urged the council to recognize individuals who ran the longstanding Moonlight Hoops program and other neighborhood leaders rather than applying large institutional branding. Scottie Williams, who said he worked for Parks and Recreation for more than 30 years and helped run local programs, asked that at least one renovated court be named in tribute to Moonlight Hoops. "We put in a lot of work down at the park...we didn't really do it for notoriety," Williams said.
Community advocates and representatives of local organizations, including the Columbia chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, likewise urged more inclusive outreach. Demarcus Thomas Brown of SCLC said the group was willing to help convene local stakeholders and asked the university and other donors to "reach out to those in this historic black community" with ties to the park.
Councilmember Valerie, who brought the motion, said the city's initial outreach "failed to reach the group of people who actually use the Douglas Park Basketball Courts." She described a recent meeting with Parks staff, donors and community figures as "much more encouraging" and called the vote a step toward repairing relationships.
The motion instructs staff to consult with project donors and return to council with a plan for renewed public engagement; council also recorded a roll‑call vote with all members present voting in favor.
