Columbia council approves revised Twin Lakes master plan to expand dog park, replace playground and pave way for splash pad

City of Columbia officials on June 2 approved an updated master plan and legislation authorizing improvements at Twin Lakes Recreation Area, including replacement of a 23-year-old playground, shelter renovations, major parking repairs and an expansion of the dog park into the former Little Maids Cove aquatic facility.

Gabe Huffington, the city’s parks and recreation director, said the park at 2500 Chapel Hill Road is a 73.3-acre facility in the Fourth Ward and that staff has $350,000 in park sales tax funding allocated to the project. Huffington described proposed work ranging from a roof and siding replacement for the park’s largest shelter, LED lighting and electrical upgrades, to a mill-and-overlay of the parking lot and new angled parking to control traffic flow.

The council’s action updates the park master plan and authorizes staff to proceed with specifications, bidding and a combination of contracted and city-staff work. Council bill 1 17 25 passed on second reading with an affirmative roll call.

Why it matters: The package remakes a heavily used dog park area, addresses accessibility and safety concerns cited by residents, and removes a long-closed aquatic facility that staff says would require major, costly repairs to reopen. The vote clears the way for short-term construction steps and for the city to plan future aquatic amenities for the south side of Columbia.

Most important elements

• Dog park expansion and Little Maids Cove: Huffington told council the plan would expand the dog park by roughly 5 acres into the site of Little Maids Cove, which has been closed since the 2019 pool season and “presents some significant pool leaks” that…