About Us / Organization Charts

Mission statement

The Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to improving our community’s health, stability, beauty, and quality of life by providing outstanding parks, trails, recreational facilities, and leisure opportunities for all Columbia citizens.

Vision statement

Columbia is the best place to live, work, learn and play.

About us

Columbia Parks and Recreation oversees over 3,700 acres of parkland,  maintains 75 parks and over 60 miles of trail, and conducts programs at 12 indoor recreation facilities. (Park and facility inventory) A wide array of sports, recreation activities, lessons and special events are available for citizens of all ages. Open space, parks, and trails provide opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of Columbia.

Park Services Division

In the Park Services Division, the Parks Management and Operations Program is responsible for the management, maintenance, and operation of parks, playgrounds, indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, athletic fields, golf courses, grounds, trails and special events support. It is also responsible for the maintenance of small equipment and the capital replacement of the P & R Department’s fleet. The Planning and Development Program in the Park Services Division is responsible for all park capital improvements. Staff identify, plan and develop recreation areas and facilities to meet the varied recreation and leisure needs of the citizens of Columbia. Also included in this division is the City’s Natural Resource Program, which includes Forestry and Horticulture staff responsible for landscaped areas in all parks, public buildings, designated median strips and the downtown area. The Park Ranger Program works out of this division and provides assistance to visitors and enforces the park rules and regulations.

Recreation Services Division

Recreation Services provides a broad spectrum of leisure services to meet the needs of all segments of the community. This includes group and individual programming to promote a high quality of life through positive, social, cultural, psychological, emotional, and physiological development. The sections administered in the Recreation Services Division are: Sports Programming; Aquatics; Adaptive and Outdoor Recreation; Community Recreation; Golf/Concessions; Senior Programming; Cultural Arts and Life Enrichment; Oak Tours; and the Activity and Recreation Center (ARC). The summer youth employment program, Career Awareness and Related Experience (CARE), is also administered by the Recreation Services Division.

Organization charts

The Department is organized into two divisions: Park Services and Recreation Services.