Columbia Parks and Recreation continues to welcome input on the renovations planned for the Douglass Park basketball courts. It hosted its second input session on Wednesday.
The meeting was also a space for city officials to receive feedback on existing park amenities and future improvements, such as bathroom security, police presence and bringing programming back to Douglass Park.
Construction on the two courts began in February and was expected to be completed in June but was soon stopped because of community backlash over the name and design of the basketball courts.
The park was going to be named after former University of Missouri assistant women's basketball coach Willie Cox, who passed away from cancer in 2019. It was also going to feature Mizzou-centric designs.
A wide range of issues were covered at Wednesday’s meeting, including concerns about the security of the park and how to best acknowledge and respect the park’s history.
Lifelong Columbian and community advocate Mufassa Bomani said both items are important for the city to consider while renovating the park.
“Some people are bent on safety and security; some people are bent on the historical aspect,” Bomani said. "Both of these things can exist at the same time.”
During the meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Gabe Huffington announced the renovated basketball courts will no longer be named after Willie Cox, nor will they be painted Mizzou colors.
The city said information presented at these meetings will be taken into consideration, and the final renovation plans will be released at a future date.
“These engagement meetings were our first step, and then we’ll revise plans,” Huffington said. “We’ll have an additional public input meeting at the park, where we’ll show plans and get additional feedback.”
The park renovations are expected to be completed by September 2026.
There is one more in-person feedback meeting on Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to noon at City Hall. Residents can also provide online anonymous feedback at BeHeard.CoMo.gov, which will remain open until June 21.
