Dublin Park

About Dublin Park

This wooded neighborhood park has a small non-reservable picnic shelter, playground, and access to the Scott’s Branch Trail. The Scott’s Branch Trail runs north through the park to an elevated boardwalk that leads to the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary and on to Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary. Scott’s Branch Trail connects the south end of the park to Scott Boulevard.

  • Official Name: Dublin Avenue Neighborhood Park
  • Acres: 5.6 acres
  • Park Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Nature Trail Miles: 0.2 mile, gravel
  • Dublin Park Mapopens PDF file

Park amenities

Activity areas

  • Playgrounds

Outdoors

Picnic areas

Trails

Park history

Year Property Acquired: 1992
Purchase Price: Donated
Acquired From: Lifestyle Homes, Inc.
Donated to: City of Columbia


Dublin Park was deeded to the City of Columbia in 1992 by Lifestyles Homes, Inc. The park was donated in two sections, the south portion consisting of 1.52 acres and the north section 4.12 acres. The park was officially named Dublin Avenue Neighborhood Park by a resolution (R200-93) approved by the City Council on December 6, 1993.

There were restrictions placed on the warranty deed at the time of donation, which included in part…

“That the above described real estate shall be left and maintained in its natural state and no alteration, additions, improvements or development shall be made to same except for minor maintenance consisting of removal of dead trees, erosion control and other minor maintenance activities, except the 1.52 acres of the above described real estate described in the next paragraph below may be used for public park purposes.”

The park development budget was funded in the 1999 City of Columbia Budget – Capital Improvement Program and included $49,000 for materials and supplies and $30,000 for force account labor. Funding was approved by the voters in the 1996 extension of the 1/4-cent sales tax.

The proposed park development became controverisial when it experienced some opposition from nearby property owners not wanting the property developed as a public park, but left in its natural state. Two public input meetings were held, as well as public hearings before the Parks and Recreation Commission  and City Council.  The first public meeting targeted those living on Dublin Avenue and Bray Court, and attendees were primarily adjacent property owners. The majority of those in attendance did not support the development of the park. The second public input meeting was advertised to a larger geographic area to more accurately represent the expected park user population.

Parks and Recreation staff communicated with Don Stohldrier, president of Lifestyle Homes, Inc. (grantor) during the development planning process to ensure the park design plans were in harmony with the intentions of the land donation. A park development option was ultimately selected and authorization to proceed with the park development was granted by the City Council on July 2, 2001

The initial park development was completed in 2003.