Clary-Shy Community Park

About Clary-Shy Community Park

Clary-Shy Community Park is home to the ARC (Activity & Recreation Center), the MU Health Care Pavilion utilized by the  Columbia Farmers Market – a seasonal fresh produce market that serves the community. The park also has a playground and soccer practice fields.   Additional improvements to the park are underway.  For more information on the park development plans, see Capital Improvement Project: Clary-Shy Community Park Improvements

Park amenities

Activity areas

  • Playground 

Fields – practice

  • Soccer

School 400m tracks / trails

Activity & Recreation Center (ARC)

MU Health Care pavilion

Park history

1948-1994

Boone County Fairgrounds, Shy Donation – This 20-acre piece of land and the adjacent 20-acre West Boulevard School grounds were formerly the Boone County Fairgrounds. Annual fairs were held at this site from 1948 through 1991. The Boone County Fair Board then traded the fairgrounds at Clinkscales and Ash Street for 226 acres known as the Cotton Woods Airport. In 1994 Ron and Vicki Shy donated 20 acres to the City of Columbia for recreation use. 

1998-2002

Activity and Recreation Center (ARC), Ice Skating RFP – Efforts to develop a recreation center in Columbia began in 1998 with Mayor Darwin Hindman’s appointment of a 37 member Mayor’s Recreation Center Citizen’s Committee. Citizens passed a 1/4-cent sales tax to raise $10.5 million for the recreation center in a November 1999 ballot. Construction on the ARC begain in spring of 2001. The facility was dedicated on December 15, 2002 (see ARC Dedication Programopens PDF file ) and was opened for public use on December 16, 2001. 

In 2000, the City of Columbia sent out requests for proposals for the construction, operation, and maintenance of an ice skating facility on this site. No acceptable proposals were received. In 2001, Sustainable Farms & Communities, Inc. had plans drawn up for a Farmers Market Community Center for proposed construction on the Ash and Clinksales site.

2005

Park Sales Tax Ballot – In November 2005, a ballot proposal was put before the voters to extend the Park Sales Tax for two years to fund a multi-use recreation facility that would house an indoor ice rink, covered farmers market, and indoor sports complex. The ballot issue was defeated. (See  2005 Park Sales Tax Ballot.)

Clary-Shy Park Aerial

2006-2008

In 2006, the Columbia Youth Basketball Association (CYBA) approached the City with a proposal to raise the necessary funds to construct a 61,000 sq. ft. youth sports facility to be located on the Ash and Clinkscales property. Upon completion of the building, it would be turned over to the Parks and Recreation Department for operation and programming. The proposed building would include eight indoor basketball courts. The proposal went before the City Council for consideration.

After reviewing the proposal, the City Council directed the Department to contact other organizations which had expressed interest in the potential development of the Ash and Clinkscales site and allow 30 days for those entities to provide updated information as to the status of their project and/or proposals. The department was also directed to advertise to the public soliciting statements of interest for use of the property. Agencies were contacted by the department and a request for statements of interest was advertised.  Four groups submitted proposals: Boone Ice Group (BIG), Columbia Farmers Market (DFM), Columbia Youth Basketball Association (CYBA), and Positive Regional Impact Development Enterprise (PRIDE).

After the proposals were reviewed and a public hearing at the Park and Recreation Commission meeting was held, the Parks and Recreation Department and Commission recommended the CYBA/Rising Stars and the Farmers Market facilities for the site. The City Council held public hearings on the subject and ultimately approved a Memorandum of Understanding for both of the recommended organizations.

The original Memorandum of Understanding with Sustainable Farms and Communities granted  two years to raise $900,000 for the construction of a permanent facility to house the Farmers Market. The funds would be given to the City to administer the construction of the facility. The City would be owner and operator of the facility with an agreement in place outlining Sustainable Farms’ cooperative use of the facility. At the March 17, 2008 Council meeting, the Market requested that the City provide an option to extend the lease to a total of seven years in order to qualify for Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) tax credits from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The tax credits are essential for organizations attempting to raise funds.  In order to qualify for the tax credits, the Farmers Market had to be the owner for five years after the tax credits expire.  If the tax credits are not used, the original agreement remains in effect. At the April 21, 2008 meeting the Council approved an ordinance granting the extension of the lease.

Similarly, a Memorandum of Understanding gave the Columbia Youth Basketball Association (CYBA) two years to raise $4 million to fund the construction of an indoor multi-court, multi-use recreation facility.  The funds would be given to the City to administer the construction of the facility. The City would be owner and operator of the facility with an agreement in place outlining CYBA’s cooperative use of the facility. CYBA commissioned a feasibility study that unfortunately indicated they would not be able to raise the required funds considering the current economic climate. Consequently, in a letter dated September 8, 2008 to City of Columbia Officials, CYBA officially terminated the Memorandum of Understanding. 

Timeline 2006-2008

The following outlines the timeline for the Ash and Clinkscales property use issue from 2006-2008:

The following outlines the timeline for the Ash and Clinkscales property use issue:

2010

Official Park Name – On May 7, 2010 the City Council approved Clary-Shy Community Park as the official park name. (See related Council item.)

Park dedication

Capital improvement projects and council items

year completed project description council items
2002 Activity and Recreation Center Development  
2006 Parking Lot Expansion  
2006 ARC/West Jr. High Fence  
2009 Solar Parking Lot Lighting View Council Item
2010 Annual Roads and Parking: Parking lot repair and conversion to concrete – Phase I  
2011 Annual Roads and Parking: Parking lot repair and conversion to concrete – Phases II and III  
2011 ARC Flooring and Improvements View Council Item
2013 ARC Spa – Add ultraviolet generator  
2014 Annual Roads and Parking: Remove section and replace w/concrete  
2017 ARC Lighting and Pool Pak Improvements  
2017 ARC HVAC Improvements View Council Item
2018 ARC Security System Improvements View Council Item
2019 Annual Park Improvement Project: ARC HVAC controller replacement View Council Item

2019 – Phase Ia

2021 – Phase Ib

Clary-Shy Park Improvements
Phase Ia: Playground, parking lot, MU Health Care Pavilion (40 stalls)

Phase Ib: Construction of maintenance barn and schoolhouse

View Council Item

2020

Annual Park Improvement Project: ARC facility improvements (acquatic heater, replace two fan assemblies in HVAC system, replace fire alarm control panel and communicator)

View Council Item

2021

Council Item: Agreement with MO Foundation for Health and CCUA – Amendment II

View Council Item

2022

ARC Water Zone Flooring Replacement

View Council Item

 

Annual Park Improvement Project: ARC maintenance improvements

View Council Item

 

Clary-Shy Phase II Improvements

View Council Item

 

ARC Facility Improvements – 00837