The city is working to address concerns about changes to Douglass Park’s basketball courts.
Residents said previous plans for the courts did not have a commitment to the park’s history.
The basketball courts were originally scheduled to be renovated from February to June as part of a larger improvement project for Douglass Park.
The renovated courts were slated to have black and gold designs to be themed around the University of Missouri.
Additionally, one court was going to be named in honor of Willie Cox, a former Mizzou women’s basketball assistant coach who died from pancreatic cancer in 2019.
However, after community members raised concern over preserving the park’s legacy and history, progress on the court renovations stalled.
Anthony Johnson, a longtime resident of the area, said the park is an important piece of the Black community in Columbia.
He believes the park is one of just a handful of remaining pieces of the city’s original Black community.
“So that’s why you got such an outcry from people when it felt like that was also being taken away,” Johnson said.
Director of Parks and Recreation Gabe Huffington said his staff learned a lot about how important the park really is to members of the community after a second round of input meetings were held in May.
“What came out of that meeting was a lot of education about the history of Douglass Park,” Huffington said.
After an additional public input meeting in September, Huffington said the revised plans will likely include inspiration from cornerstones of the community, like Douglass High School and Moonlight Hoops.
The project is expected to cost about $907,000, according to city records. It is being funded through the city’s park sales tax, contributions from Veterans United and the University of Missouri athletics department, and a Community Revitalization Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
The Parks and Recreation Commission will meet in November to discuss moving forward with the project’s implementation. Huffington said if the plans proceed, the renovations should be completed by June.
“That aligns with some of the use in the park we have planned for the Juneteenth holiday, as well as making sure that project is completed and closed before the grant deadline, which is September of 2026,” Huffington said.
For many Columbia residents, the new and improved courts would be a step toward a safe space for younger generations to spend their time, Johnson said.
“When I was growing up, the park was a safe place for the kids,” Johnson said. “It kept us out of trouble, and there was a lot of good role models and mentors that helped a lot of kids like me be successful through programming at the park.”
Donors for the original Mizzou-themed court designs and Willie Cox memorial are open to looking at other court locations in Columbia, Huffington said.
