We're not just building a park, we're building our community – together.
As Columbia grows, it faces new health and economic challenges every day. By improving this city park, you can be a part of the solution. Your support will help Build this Town.
Making healthy food accessible to all mid-Missourians
In 2023 construction of the MU Healthcare Pavilion was completed! This successful expansion of the Columbia Farmers Market will support more local farmers and make fresh food more accessible to families in our community. Our community has already seen the benefits of this larger building. It offers more protection for farmers and shoppers from the weather, hosts more farmers, is open more days of the week, stays open later, stays in the same location year-round, and ultimately provides more healthy food to more customers. The market’s expansion also means an increase in matching dollars available to families with low-incomes.
Food grown at the park’s Urban Farm is donated to local food pantries, such as the Food Bank’s new “Market,” so struggling families can choose healthy options. The Agriculture Park’s impact reaches beyond the immediate food needs in our community. Volunteers and interns who help grow food at the park learn skills that empower them to grow their own food in the future. Groups of students who visit the park for educational experiences have the opportunity to get their hands dirty and learn about growing and preparing their own healthy foods. Hands-on experiences at the Agriculture Park will impact the food choices of people in our community for generations to come.
Reviving West Central Columbia
In 2015, residents of the West Central Columbia Neighborhood made a plan for improving West Central Columbia, which includes Clary-Shy Park. The Agriculture Park will meet the priorities set forward by the community members who wrote the neighborhood plan. Below are some quotes from the plan:
“Develop an urban agriculture park and farmers’ market facility on the open play area of Clary-Shy Community Park”
“Priority 3: Add and improve parks and greenspace.”
“A connecting network of greenways (i.e., multi-use paths) through the Broadway Shopping Center, Shelter Office campus, Shelter Gardens, ARC, and West Middle School campus will require coordination between private business owners, the City Parks & Recreation Department, and Columbia Public Schools.”
“Priority 4: Create a unique sense of place (branding) and improved neighborhood aesthetic. Plant new trees and maintain existing mature trees. Improve Again Street Park. Create and expand community gardens. Establish new gathering places, pocket parks, pavilions, and art installations.”