Stephens Lake Park Development

Parks & Recreation
Creating Community through People, Parks and Programs

Stephens Lake Park Development - Phase I

Funding Fiscal Year(s):	Year	Budget
	FY 2001	$275,000
	FY 2002	$950,000
	FY 2003	$670,300
	FY 2004	$604,700
Project Number;	C00095
Project Budget:	$2,500,000
Funding Source:	Park Sales Tax
Year Completed:	2010

Plans: Click here.
Project Description: Develop Phase I of Stephens Lake Park, including:

Hazardous materials cleanup
Demolition/removal of old buildings
Disassembling and relocation of Pop Collins Cabin
Lake dredging, boulder placement
Lake aeration system
Island construction
Boardwalk with two covered areas
Island shelter
Small shelter with firepit - Collins
Medium shelter - Happy Hollow
Medium shelter - Gordon
3 Playgrounds
Indoor pavilion (Riechmann) with outdoor restrooms and parking lot
2 Outdoor restroom buildings

Swim beach and fence
Estate fencing along south side of lake
West (beach) parking lot and new entrance off Old 63
East parking lot and internal road
South parking lot and entrance road
Sled hill work
Retaining wall, kayak & canoe training area
6 single table picnic shelters
Tree collections
Hard surface lake trail - .6 mile
Hard surface perimeter trail - 1.7 miles
Spraygrounds
(2) Waterfalls and (1) bridge
Outdoor amphitheater

Project Notes: Stephens Lake Park was dedicated on June 26, 2005, with about 75% of Phase I of the park construction completed and open to the public. The rest of the main elements of Phase I, except for the spraygrounds, waterfall, and amphitheater, were completed in 2006. The dedication for the Riechmann Indoor Pavilion with parking lot and playground was held on April 29, 2006. The sprayground was completed and opened to the public May 1, 2008. The waterfalls were completed and dedicated on June 14, 2009. The last element of the development, the outdoor amphitheater, was completed in 2010. More information on the last three elements of the park below.

Project Status: Completed.

Spraygrounds

Project Description: As part of phase I of the park development project, construction of a 5,782 sq. ft. spraygrounds with a variety of water spray features, such as, spray rings, water columns, stream jets, geysers, and bubblers. Construction includes a pump house for the water and electrical controls. System uses chlorinated recycled water. Spraygrounds and pump house to be constructed with force account labor. The chain link fence installation will be contracted.
Project Notes: Spraygrounds completed and open to the public May 1, 2008. Park staff completed the stone exterior of the pump house in July 2008.
Project Status: Completed.

Park staff constructing sprayground pump house. (Photo taken July 2007.)
Park staff pouring sprayground slab. (Photo taken September 2007.)
Completed sprayground slab. (Photo taken October 2007.)
Spraygrounds completed and opened to the public on May 1, 2008.

Waterfalls

Project Description: Construct two waterfalls on the north hill above the lake.
Project Notes: Two waterfalls were approved in the Stephens Lake Park Master Plan, but were not funded in the phase one of development. Two donations were secured to fund both waterfalls. Funding for the large waterfall was donated by the estate of Russell and Mary (Grant) Nall in the amount of $50,000. Funding for the small waterfall was donated by Ed Petersheim in the amount of $10,000. The waterfalls were designed by Parks and Recreation staff and constructed by staff and earthwork contractor, Richardson Excavation. The large waterfall is about 300 ft. long and is comprised of a series of fall, flat sections, and four pools. The small waterfall is about 35 ft. long. Over 800 tons of limestone boulders, 400 tons of Missouri river rock, 22,000 sq. ft. of geofabric, and 16.500 sq. ft. of rubber liner were used in the construction of both waterfalls.
Project Status: The waterfalls were completed and dedicated on June 14, 2009.

(See Dedication Program.)

See Related Article - "Columbia is Falling for Waterfalls," Missouri Parks and Recreation Magaznine - Fall 2009.

Completed waterfall bridge. Water from the waterfall will flow under the bridge into the lake.
Waterfall boulders being delivered to waterfall site. (Photo taken October 2007.)
Photo of staff unrolling waterfall liner. (Photo taken August 2008.)
Photo of waterfall construction boulder work. (Photo taken September 2008.)
Photo of the completed large waterfall. The large waterfall is too long to capture in one photo. Photo shows one of the four pools. (Photo taken 6/14/09.)
Photo of the completed small waterfall. (Photo taken 6/14/09.)
A dedication ceremony was held in conjunction with the Nall family reunion on June 14, 2009. About 80 people were in attendance. Photo of the ribbon cutting to the right. (See Dedication Program.)

Outdoor Amphitheater

Project Description and Notes: The City received official notification of a $20,250 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant award to help fund the construction of the amphitheater on December 6, 2007. Total budget for the amphitheater is $45,000, which includes a City grant match of Park Sales Tax in the amount of $24,750. The amphitheater is part of the park master plan and is the last funded amenity to be constructed in phase I of Stephens Lake Park. Location of amphitheater is in the northwest section of the park, as shown in the plans below.

Council Items: Click here.

Grand Opening: With the amphitheater close to completion, a grand opening was held on June 26, 2010 featuring a free performance of Revenge of the Space Pandas by the Maplewood Barn Theater followed by a musical performance by the 70-member Columbia Community Band. An audience of about 350 gathered on the hillside to enjoy the performances under a clear summer sky. (See Amphitheater Grand Opening Program and event flyer.)

Project Status: Completed.