Positive Outcomes in Symphony Woods
Symphony Woods is considered by many to be a significant asset for all of the Columbia community. Columbia Association (CA) has worked diligently and will continue to ensure Symphony Woods is being used in ways that protect, respect and sustain the land. We are confident in the steps our organization has taken to achieve this outcome. What matters most is that we’ve already seen and will continue to see clear positive outcomes as a result of these actions.
As you may be aware, CA and the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission (DCACC) recently came to a legal agreement that enabled Symphony of Lights to go forward while ensuring that Symphony Woods remains protected. CA worked to find certainty in the outcome of the litigation and close out the expenditure of resources through negotiating a settlement, all to the benefit of the community. This settlement reached a resolution that both organizations and their boards were able to find agreement on. CA believes that the terms of that agreement achieve the protection, respect, and sustainability of Symphony Woods, which has been and continues to be our priority.
The parties all share the desire to find a better way forward and to focus on the future. By closing this latest chapter, we believe it proves we can indeed work together toward mutually beneficial solutions, ones that protect, respect, and sustain the land that’s vitally important to this community. Symphony Woods, in particular, is a shared community treasure that CA protects and is committed to sustaining for many generations to come.
As you have always entrusted CA with the protection and maintenance of open space, we expect our community to hold us to a high standard of stewardship as we move forward. In the meantime, we will continue to look for opportunities that yield positive outcomes in the best interest of our environment, our partners across Columbia and the community at large.
We both cannot wait to see what other opportunities come from working together in Symphony Woods and all of CA’s other public spaces across Columbia. We hope you’re excited about what is ahead for all of us as well.
Lakey Boyd
President/CEO, Columbia Association
Janet Evans
Chair, Columbia Association Board of Directors
December 2021
