COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Columbia City Council is preparing to take on several major infrastructure and community proposals at its meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the Daniel Boone City Building, 701 E. Broadway.
Among the most significant items on the agenda is a $4 million renovation plan for the Albert-Oakland Family Aquatic Center, a popular recreation destination for families. The upgrades are intended to fix aging pool equipment and leaking pool structures while adding new interactive features such as a climbing area and play wall.
If approved, the project would require the aquatic facility to remain closed until early spring 2027, with construction spanning multiple pool seasons. The renovation would be funded by a mix of city tax revenues and designated municipal funds.
Council members will also vote on a proposed 2,100-foot sidewalk improvement project between Maplewood Drive and West Boulevard. The $600,000 project aims to expand safe pedestrian access along a key corridor, improving connectivity south of Broadway Boulevard to the area surrounding Columbia Mall. According to a city memo, the investment is expected to benefit both residents and local businesses by enhancing accessibility in a high-traffic retail and residential area.
In addition to infrastructure discussions, the council will receive a presentation from the Office of Violence Prevention, which will outline updates to its ongoing strategic plan. The plan focuses on four pillars: community engagement, violence disruption, youth engagement, and policy advocacy. Council members are expected to consider how the initiatives will align with other community development efforts.
The meeting will also feature leadership transitions within the city government. Clinton Smith will be sworn in as the new director of Community Development, while William Rataj will officially assume the role of director of Housing and Neighborhood Services. Both appointments mark key shifts in Columbia’s leadership structure as the city continues to expand infrastructure and community programs.
If the aquatic center renovation and sidewalk improvement projects are approved, both initiatives are expected to begin construction in 2026. City officials emphasized that these projects not only address aging infrastructure but also aim to enhance quality of life, safety, and accessibility for Columbia residents.
The meeting, open to the public, is expected to draw attention from families who regularly use the aquatic center, residents of west Columbia neighborhoods, and community advocates following the Office of Violence Prevention’s progress.
Originally reported by Max Quinn, Lola Jahant, Kalli Fowler and Brendan Berger, Columbia Missourian in KOMU 8 News.
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