$8-9 million proposed Columbia River Park expansion includes amphitheater, pavilion

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A 700-person amphitheater, pavilion, an expanded pier, a playground and more may be on its way to Columbia River Park as part of the borough’s ongoing revitalization plan.

There are still many moving parts and yet-to-be decided features for the $8 million to $9 million project, according to Borough Manager Rebecca Denlinger.

Discussion on funding for the project “hasn’t even started,” she added, explaining the long planning process “allowed residents to dream big about what can happen” at the park.

MORE HERE



Comments

Anonymous said…
I hope this will be voted by TAX PAYERS!!
January 5, 2019 at 8:13 AM
Anonymous said…
Holly Cow the fence for this is going to cost $500,000 or more if the do the same as they did for the cottages.
January 5, 2019 at 8:16 AM
Anonymous said…
These people are high , we have to get them out of office and fire the borough manager.
January 5, 2019 at 8:19 AM
Anonymous said…
Yup raise taxes and this , this is a town for nonprofit and tax the hell out of the people, this will have people running to get out of here NOT TO COME IN TO THE TOWN AND PAY FOR OUT SIDERS .Yup buy a house and become part of the tax burdened town, and watch as council people don't pay there own taxes. Laughing stock yes , maybe council and mayor are to old or dumb to see what they are doing and have done to the tax payers of this town. BANK RUPT THE TOWN , A consultaint at the helm.
January 5, 2019 at 8:28 AM
Anonymous said…
YES THEY REALLY ARE INSANE!
January 5, 2019 at 8:34 AM
Anonymous said…
This is what MURPHY and council got us in the back door hiring
January 5, 2019 at 8:35 AM
Anonymous said…
MG what the heck is going on with this town. Those council people are out of their minds. Come on people we need to tell them we are not a rich town. I might lose my home because of taxes then where will I live. Most of the towns people are older ones. PLEASE think of us
January 5, 2019 at 8:38 AM
Anonymous said…
Merge with Wrightsville let the official over there take over , they don't seam to have the problems we have, but maybe the problem is our officals.
January 5, 2019 at 8:40 AM
Anonymous said…
THE HITLER GODS HAVE TO GO , MAYOR < MURPHY < COUNCIL> MANAGERS>AND the NON TAX PAYING COUNCIL MEMBER, they have lost reality with the town,
January 5, 2019 at 8:44 AM
Anonymous said…
They want this stuff ,put it on the ballet, I bet the people don't want it or them.
January 5, 2019 at 8:46 AM
Anonymous said…
Why don't they fix the schools instead of putting money into a park. Sad when my son who is in 6th grade is doing the same work as 9th grade in Columbia. Get your priorities straight Columbia boro. Worry about things that matter more
January 5, 2019 at 8:46 AM
william stoner said…
another over the moon idea,what part of ,the citizens of columbia cant afford these stupid idea are you not getting
January 5, 2019 at 8:47 AM
Anonymous said…
What a dumb idea these people on council must be high on something time for all of them to go the sooner the better we need to get the state in here now before they bankrup the town because that is closer then you think
January 5, 2019 at 9:13 AM
Anonymous said…
The River Park will never be successful if the trail is not extended through it, eliminating the hike along the bypass. This crossing doesn’t need to be bicycle or handicap accessible as those options already exist. This would minimize the cost for the crossing.

I didn’t use the trail when I lived in Columbia precisely because of the bypass section and I certainly will not drive over from Lancaster in order to hike the bypass when I can drive another 5 minutes to the Marietta end. My ex-neighbor, in Columbia, always drives herself and her dog to Marietta whenever she wants to hike it.

Another issue of importance is a children’s playground. This should be built on the existing section of the park near the Crossings building. Parents of young kids will not use it if it means a hike of a quarter mile or more. There are some other nice ideas for the park but they are optional; these two things are critical to the parks sucess.
Al Dodson
January 5, 2019 at 9:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Where is this money coming from? Whose project is this? Time for a new manager I thought she would look out for us but doesn't seem that way.
January 5, 2019 at 12:24 PM
Anonymous said…
Whoever said to merge with wrightsville boro it's not going to happen because Wtightsville don't want to pay Columbia debt! Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 1:52 PM
Anonymous said…
If you happened to read the article in full, you may have noticed that this was not a project of the council directly, but a proposal that came from the Columbia River Park Advisory Committee, which was assembled nearly 20 years ago, long before the current council members took office. Community members were invited to participate in the planning process by filling out surveys and by attending open meetings at the market house months ago. This plan was developed by a third party based on the input from those surveys and meetings. If you are unhappy with the plan, perhaps you should consider participating in the next survey or showing up for the open meetings.

I think perhaps its worth pasting the last quote of the article, from the mayor, for those of you who chose not to read it: “So many times we hear from residents, ‘We don’t have stuff to do in Columbia,’ and we’re trying to give them that,” he said.

I haven't lived in Columbia very long, but I like it here. I have attended planning meetings, and I'm excited to hear the ideas of my fellow Columbians and to get a chance to see the action that follows. Several new businesses have opened in the short time I've been here, and I believe they have all brought something positive to the community.

I have to say that I'm regularly disappointed to see all of the negativity that is thrown about in the comments here and on the various Facebook groups.
January 5, 2019 at 2:39 PM
Anonymous said…
the ONLY things the river park needs is some benches and portapots on the trail. thats it. minimal expense.
January 5, 2019 at 2:40 PM
Anonymous said…
This town is in debt we already are paying for their loans. We will eventually be paying for this. Yes schools need updated most of the play grounds for children are over run with older kids who are vandalizing them and it unsafe for smaller kids to play safely. How about the crime and drugs around the town. I had seen a woman chase her husband up the st with a butcher knife and the cops tel them stay inside and call it a day the cameras are run by a different town so Columbia sees nothing. It’s unsafe! And yes everyone will be running out of Columbia sooner then later because everything is going up here but our pay at our jobs aren’t hard work but still living pay check to pay check. It’s hard anywhere but the place you call home should have some kind of security and it definitely isn’t here in the town of Columbia
January 5, 2019 at 3:59 PM
Anonymous said…
Let the TAX PAYERS SPEAK! I can bet they do not want this! BUT LET THEM SPEAKKKKKK!!!!!!
January 5, 2019 at 7:35 PM
Anonymous said…
I don't care who came up with these ideas. We will pay. Don't be fooled by the word GRANT. Some grants are matching, dollar for dollar. Meaning if a project costs eight million and we get a four million dollar grant, Columbia taxpayers would foot the bill for the remaining four million. The word GRANT is tossed about to dismiss resident concerns about where the funding will come from. Beyond the initial cost of this project, one needs to ask what the annual costs will be to maintain this area. The river park Columbia Crossing building was touted as a maintenance free building, now it is being managed and operated at over $100,000 a year. That is over and above custodial and maintenance fees. Columbia taxpayers bleed green.
January 5, 2019 at 8:10 PM
Anonymous said…
I’d rather have a public pool again
January 5, 2019 at 9:02 PM
Anonymous said…
Typical Columbia....no vision. You have the opportunity to improve your town, a chance to spur economic development like it has not had in generations....and you whine and complain about higher taxes and the politicians. You people will never improve your town simply because you do not deserve it. Columbia is a blight on our area, has been for over a hundred years....and it's citizens are the reason why.
January 5, 2019 at 9:03 PM
Joe Lintner said…
Surely this is satire.
January 5, 2019 at 9:35 PM
Radical rag said…
It looks like in the drawing, the whole river park will be moved to the side where the roach tackle shop used to be, is it an expansion or are they just wanting to build a new river park area??
January 6, 2019 at 7:05 AM
Anonymous said…
What a tunnel or a bridge ???? Or a person from S/H with a traffic control sign?
January 6, 2019 at 8:52 AM
Anonymous said…
Move on we don' want more river park to bring out siders to pay for nothing , we want the town upgraded not the damb money pit that a few want...
January 6, 2019 at 8:59 AM
Anonymous said…
20 years ago there were MANY more of us who sat on the River Park committee. We knew then that what we said did NOT matter. They had GRANDIOSE ideas and were running with them. and subsequently added even more ideas that simply were over the top. everyone knows the River Park was a personal agenda for a councilor.
January 6, 2019 at 9:03 AM
Anonymous said…
yes again we tried to insist that maintenance on anything and everything at the River Park would have upkeep, maintenance, etc. They insisted it wouldn't. so, who do you think does the upkeep and maintenance???? who do you think does the cleaning, trash collection, setting up for all uses. On top of ALL this, the Boro hired and pays Susquehanna Heritage to manage it???? what a slap in the face... Sorry no one thinks about us or cares what we think. taxpaying homeownwers have to get it together and attend every council mtg. their m.o. is to slip stuff thru when no one attends. this frivolous, irresponsible, unacceptable over spending MUST stop. Yes all grants are different. the existing crossing cost around $8 MILLION. They sold the sewer plant, so there's NO money coming in. Why aren't they leasing or selling the old sewer plant??? and the old Cola #1. ???? we need answers folks.
January 6, 2019 at 9:13 AM
Anonymous said…
What the hell , How about let the highway dept clear the whole lot , plant grass and see if people ( not the ones hell bent on the development and the high advisors ) want or need any thing other than a grass field. Cost a couple of thousand, COMMON SENSE GOES ALONG WAY. And that ramp was in for boats in the 60s so this group had nothing to do with it at all. This park is big enough , save money to see what happens to the foundry , that's more on the gate way to Columbia off 30.
January 6, 2019 at 9:29 AM
Anonymous said…
How much grant money are we paying back now on the pit? We just spent $45,000 + a grant of 45,000 for a computer generated pic of our ideas , see the big picture , it just keeps taking and gives nothing back. Parking for a theater . come on over half that lot (11 acers ) would be needed for 300 cars , A hammock ? who pays for injuries? Oh how about union street ramp it is public , why no up grades ? Maybe they could take all the cottages on eminate domain for a parking lot for this dream , Oh we will need a heliport to get people in and out to entertain at the theater , we may even need to level the sewer plant for added parking, Deninger said to dream big so here goes a walking / bike path accross the old piers , paths to the rocks up the trail to repel , mud bog areas for 4 wheelers , rentals of boats , 4 wheelers , golf carts, bike rentals, maybe some food places , see how insane this is but we have a consultant as manager that is promoting this unrealist stuff, maybe this is way she is screwing up things that mater like koz.
January 6, 2019 at 9:48 AM
Anonymous said…
To the comment or criticizing the people of Columbia, why do you care. If you don’t care for all the whining or griping about the politicians quit reading about it. As far as a blight on the area, please post your address and allow us to evaluate your area
January 6, 2019 at 9:50 AM
Anonymous said…
Wrightsville is transparent with there citizens , not the double talking lies Columbia does.
January 6, 2019 at 10:16 AM
Anonymous said…
Schools are way beyond fixing at this level , failing , out of control , go online , get rid of the whole building and teachers, and administration SAVE MILLIONS over the next years , Common sense is not here putting more taxes into a failing school. I was told some of the kids on the hill can NOT sign there names in cursive , Great education these people on the hill are providing the kids , Shut it down.
January 6, 2019 at 10:25 AM
Steve R Blankenship said…
I THINK it is about time for all the COMPLAINERS IN THIS BORO start signing their names to the COMPLAINT SHEET. I think the people in the BORO need to know who is always complaining and have them step up to the PLATE and LEND a HELPING hand instead of complaining as a HAS BEEN. STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED, don't HIDE.
January 6, 2019 at 11:44 AM
Anonymous said…
Spy should change name to CNN. Columbia Negative News. Poor excuse for journalism. You never post any positive comments. Very biased.
January 6, 2019 at 4:41 PM
Anonymous said…
There were plenty of taxpayers who did speak at the meeting. And it's their ideas you see in that plan. No one showed up in opposition during the meeting I went to. It seems the naysayers only find their voice and are able to speak AFTER decisions are made by those who care enough to participate.
January 6, 2019 at 7:43 PM
Joe Lintner said…
Negative comments - kind of like the one you just submitted?
January 6, 2019 at 8:05 PM
Anonymous said…
Thats right Cole, you tell them! i am with you!
January 6, 2019 at 8:15 PM
Anonymous said…
Negative does not equal false. The truth is printed and if someone in Columbia doesn't like it, they say it's negative. To quote George Orwell: Journalism is printing what someone else does not want published, everything else is public relations.
January 6, 2019 at 8:47 PM
Anonymous said…
If Columbia Spy was such a negative blog site or Facebook media outlet, then why is over 5,000 people watching these sites. We all know that most local government officials are viewing on a regular basis. Columbia News, Views and Reviews has the local government running scared with in-depth local news.
The Columbia News always held the Columbia government accountable six days a week. This is our media outlet and we as citizens support this site.
January 6, 2019 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said…
But I noticed you don't post your name. I think all the posts supporting tax increases and spending money are from the same person. You want it to look like many different people agree with you. If you want people to stop "whining" as you call it, step up and post your name.
January 6, 2019 at 10:26 PM
Anonymous said…
A GRASS FIELD IS ENOUGH , What is wrong with these people?
January 7, 2019 at 12:25 PM
Anonymous said…
#foundthecouncilmember?

January 7, 2019 at 1:36 PM
Anonymous said…
THE borough retalieates , you must be new to town.
January 7, 2019 at 5:56 PM
Unknown said…
How about investing in Harrisburg's Political corruption and wasteful spending,
Deal with crime and Invest in Law Enforcement for a safer city...
January 8, 2019 at 11:49 AM
KansasFan said…
If Columbia boro ever had a "good idea" , an amphitheater would be it. Music playing bands would bring in folks from out of town, they'd spend some $ here. What's the numbers on capacity, and of course parking availability?
January 9, 2019 at 9:37 AM
Anonymous said…
I do not live in Columbia. However my husband was raised in town and we both work at businesses within this town. I love to get on and read what is happening and the responses from residents and even some non residents. As someone has already mentioned there is a lot of complaining about the politicians and borough council members on this site. These people did not just elect themselves for these positions. So to all the unhappy people, you have a choice when elections take place to change these officials. And while the plans for the River Park may be over the top in regards to budget or even need for the community, the idea of adding positive community activities and drawing tourism are both beneficial for the residents. And the River is a huge draw to people and should be utilized to its fullest to support the residents. Water for many people is therapeutic, whether it be the ocean, a lake or the River. Since the Susquehanna isnt going anywhere anytime soon why not make it the draw into the community which will entice tourist to frequent town and the various businesses within. And if you dont like that idea where are your ideas and suggestions for enriching the community.
January 9, 2019 at 6:07 PM
Anonymous said…
Wait, this over better education.... yup
January 12, 2019 at 8:13 PM
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