American Legion Park

Table of Contents

About American Legion Park

American Legion Park is a 17-acre community park that is home to the only archery range in Columbia’s park system. It also has two lighted baseball fields, concession stand/restrooms, fishing pond, two non-reservable picnic shelters, and playground. American Legion Herbert Williams Post 202 is located on 3 acres of the 20-acre property.

Park amenities

Activity areas

Fields – game

Lakes

  • Fishing lake

Picnic areas

Restrooms

Park history

This twenty-acre park was originally leased to the city in 1966 for $1.00 a year by American Legion Herbert Williams Post 202. The lease was reissued in 1991 for $10.00 a year. In September 2000, an agreement was approved between the City and American Legion post 202, whereby the Legion would donate 16.61 acres to the City in return for the whole 20 acres of property being annexed into the city limits. As part of this agreement, the City would extend its sewer lines to serve said land, thus alleviating the Legion’s need to renovate its sewer system.

While the land was donated by the American Legion, the City did incur costs of $150,000 to extend the city’s sewer lines to the property. This money was appropriated from the Capital Projects Fund.

The City also entered into an agreement in March 2001 with American Legion Herbert Williams Post 202 to have the right of first refusal on the remaining 3.09 acres retained by them. The City paid $3,000 to Post 202 upon execution of the right of first refusal agreement.

In 2006, Columbia Professional Baseball, LLC, owners of the minor league professional baseball team – the Columbia Diamonds (formerly Mavericks), approached the City Council with a proposal to build a sports complex on the site of American Legion Park.

After a public hearing on June 19, 2006, the City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Columbia Professional Baseball contingent upon satisfactory arrangements being made for replacement fields and endorsement of the MOU by the American Legion Herbert Williams Post 202.

On December 11, 2007, representative of Columbia Professional Baseball secured the endorsement of the members of American Legion Post 202 for the proposed stadium agreement. Under the agreement, American Legion would receive revenue for renting out its meeting hall for events, with a guaranteed minimum of $50,000 annual income. Columbia Professional Baseball would also provide as much as $250,000 in renovations to the Legion’s meeting hall, which the Legion would continue to own and maintain.

The impact to the Parks and Recreation Department would be the loss of the park, including two baseball fields, one of which being the only regulation-size baseball field in the City’s park system. The execution of the MOU with Columbia Professional Baseball was the impetus for the City to begin development of two baseball fields at Atkins Park. The City Council decided to move the $325,000 2005 Park Sales Tax ballot funds identified for American Legion Park improvements to the youth athletic fields at Atkins Park project. (See related Council items.)

By the close of Fiscal Year 2009, Columbia Professional Baseball had not returned to the City to discuss an agreement for the use of American Legion Park. Therefore, in Fiscal Year 2010 a capital project was budgeted with Recreation User Fee funds for improvements to American Legion Park, with some of the work being accomplished with in-house labor. 

Capital improvement projects and council items

Year Completed project description council items
2009 Annual Roads and Parking: Overlay Asphalt Drive   
2012 American Legion Park Improvements – Ball Fields Council Item
2013 Annual Roads and Parking: Asphalt expanded parking lot  
2014 Council Item: MDC Grant for Archery Targets Council Item
2014 American Legion East Field Lights Council Item
2016 Annual Roads and Parking: Asphalt Overlay  
2017 Annual Park Improvements: Archery Range Improvements Council Item
2018 American Legion Park Improvments: Shelter and Playground Replacement, Concession Improvements Council Item