Advisory Committees Help CA Grow
Columbia Association (CA) appreciates community feedback and encourages community members to get involved. One way to get involved is by
serving on one of CA’s 10 advisory committees, which consist of resident volunteers and CA staff working together on particular aspects of the community.
Advisory committees ensure that there is a substantial level of community participation and involvement in the development of CA program policies and priorities.
Here are some of the committees’ highlights from March through September. For more information, or to learn how to join, please visit columbiaassociation.org Committees.
Columbia Aquatics Advisory Committee
The committee focused on budget recommendations for upcoming capital expenditures, including fully funding the third phase of Columbia Swim Center renovations — main pool roof replacement, replacement of the wading pool with a newly enhanced ADA wading pool area, family showers and a facility entrance canopy — as well as the final phase of Hawthorn Pool renovations.
Columbia Art Center Advisory Committee
The committee promoted spring and summer classes by distributing class brochures and flyers to community members at outreach events and community locations. A member also spoke to CA’s Board regarding requests for possible enhancements to the facility. Members also assisted with Columbia’s first ever plein air painting event at Lake Kittamaqundi and Wilde Lake.
Green and Golf Committee Advisory Committee
The formerly separate greens and golf advisory committees were combined this year. Within the newly combined committee, three separate subcommittees were formed (tournament, course and house). This year, the committee has worked to standardize communication practices, promote constructive course dialogue and enhance the overall member experience.
Health and Fitness Advisory Committee
The committee has worked together to creatively address and solve a variety of operational issues and to implement upgrades and enhancements for customers. It’s also shared and given feedback on facility and department updates, and provided input for capital projects.
IT Advisory Committee
The committee, which meets on an ad-hoc basis, has been at work implementing a number of IT initiatives, including CA’s Digital Transformation Strategy.
International and Multicultural Advisory Committee
IMAC members assisted with the summer sister cities youth and adult exchange programs with Columbia’s sister cities in France, Ghana and Spain; collected 261 boxes of books for libraries in Tema, Ghana; worked on developing a new sister city relationship in China; served on the art selection committee for the Sister Cities Art Exhibit at HCC; and set up country tables at FIRN’s Multicultural Fair at HCC.
Middle School and Teen Advisory Committees
The committees continue to plan and work on several events, including Friday Night Live on the last Friday of every month, the annual pool parties for middle and high school students, and the upcoming 14th annual Hear My Voice Teen Idol competition, to be held Sunday, Oct. 15.
Senior Advisory Committee
The committee monitored the progress and gave feedback regarding the Older Adult Plan through regular verbal updates at meetings and an annual written update. The 51-point Comprehensive Plan for Serving the Older Adult Community was completed in May 2014. On those 51 points, 47 are completed or ongoing; three are in progress and one has not started.
Tennis Advisory Committee
The committee’s projects include tennis social events for different social tennis groups in CA. There has been tremendous excitement about the groundbreaking and construction of the Long Reach Tennis Center; the committee has been making suggestions on how tennis block time will be allocated and how CA tennis will continue to grow through many different program options.
Watershed Advisory Committee
The committee recently toured stormwater-related capital projects CA has recently completed with committee input. The committee is still recruiting new members.
