Finlay Park set to reopen with impressive new look, amenities, and safety features

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — After two years of construction and redesign, Finlay Park in downtown Columbia is ready to reopen to the public.

ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams took a special tour Thursday morning to see everything the revitalized space has to offer.

A staple in the community for years, Finlay Park had become a place that many residents avoided citing safety and cleanliness concerns.

That won’t be the case anymore, says Assistant City Manager Henry Simons.

“You know, we’ve heard a lot in the past about how uncomfortable people felt in the past, so we took all that insight and all that information and were very thoughtful in everything that you see here,” says Simons.

What was once Le Cafe Jazz restaurant is now a ranger station, with park rangers using cameras throughout the park, police monitoring, and 24-hour security to help ensure guest safety.

“We want them to feel comfortable whenever they come whether it’s early in the morning, or late in the afternoon,” says Simons.

Amenities will include a concert stage, large playgrounds, a splash pad, public restrooms, food trucks, and a place to rent roller skates and remote controlled sailboats.

Multiple water features, streams, and even rapids cover the 17 acres of the park, with over three miles of sidewalks and five miles of walking trails.

There is also a pickleball court, outdoor gym, frisbee disc golf course, a reservable indoor area above the ranger station for say, weddings, corporate events, or other happenings, and reservable outdoor grassy areas for families and friends — now available through the city’s website.

Every beam, boulder, and feature was thought out by multiple design and engineering teams, led by Stantec — while respecting the park’s original designer, Robert Marvin.

Other design and construction teams include Mashburn Construction, LS3P, CHAO, WP Law, and BGA.

Jenny Horne is Stantec’s Principal Landscape Architect.

“But we were also able to bring in new elements, creative ideas to the park, to help activate it, open it up, create safety, and make it accessible to all visitors that come to Finlay Park,” says Horne.

Total cost for the redesign is around $25 million — with an additional $2 million a year allotted for upkeep.

Finlay park officially reopens to the public at 9 a.m. this Saturday, November 15th, with a grand reopening ceremony at 10 a.m. and Jam Room Music Festival beginning at noon.

Park hours will be 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.