A plan to renovate the Twin Lakes Recreation Area in southwestern Columbia is on track to wrap up by fall 2026.
The plan for the 73-acre park includes a full renovation of the park’s shelter, the installation of a new playground, a parking lot upgrade and an expansion of the dog park, said Gabe Huffington, director of Parks and Recreation.
The old playground structure was taken down Sept. 2. Starting next week, it will be replaced by an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant playground.
The playground installation is happening earlier than expected, Huffington said.
“We were not anticipating to start until closer to winter or spring of 2026,” he said. “The rest of the work that will be completed as part of the Twin Lakes Recreation Area Improvement Project will all start in the spring.”
A concrete pathway, mulching and landscaping need to be completed before public use of the park, and will be added after the playground goes in.
The dog park expansion will take over the site of Little Mates Cove, an aquatic play area that has been closed since 2019. Little Mates Cove is being demolished because of significant issues with underground plumbing, concrete, pumping systems and lifeguard staffing shortages, Huffington said.
Many Columbia residents took to Facebook with hopes for a new splash pad, but it will not be a part of this renovation.
“The council made a decision to proceed with this project that included closing that facility and expanding the dog park,” Huffington said. “As a future improvement to the park, our department will start to look at the funding for construction of a new splash pad.”
As for the current dog park, Huffington said it is “in definite need of an expansion” because of the number of users.
The dog park currently has three sections: an area with lakeside access, an area for small dogs and a winter off-season area for dogs of all sizes. In all, five acres will be added to the dog area, according to city documents.
“That will help address the number of people that are visiting, the number of dogs in the park and just being able to provide more acres for dogs to be able to run and play,” Huffington said.
In addition, Huffington said the expansion will give owners more space to sit with their dogs.
Shade will be added to the small-dog area. The plan also makes use of the existing cantilever shades in Little Mates Cove.
“Our plan will address lots of the concerns that citizens have related to the use of the dog park and how it functions,” Huffington said.
The park’s large shelter will also undergo renovations, including replacement of siding, new roof installation and upgrading to LED light fixtures. The shelter is blocked out from reservations between January and June of 2026.
“Our goal is to have this project done by the end of 2026,” Huffington said.
According to city documents, the plan is funded by the 2021 Park Sales Tax, which is a dedicated sales tax for local parks.
