 Hello, Columbia. Welcome to our edition of Telling Our Story, Exploring the Parks. I am your host, Wanda Austin Herndon. Join us as we explore our parks. Today, we're located in Earlwood Park. And like its namesake, Earlwood Park is located in the historic Columbia Earlwood neighborhood. So come join us as we take a walk through the park. Earlwood Park land was given to the City of Columbia in 1925 and named for the former Columbia Mayor Fort Sumter Earl. Fort Sumter Earl was a pharmacist by profession and a community leader who organized and recognized the importance of public park. Earl also spearheaded the water and sewer development in the Columbia. The historic Earlwood fountain was originally located in the intersection of Lady Street and Assembly Street adjacent to the farmer's market. This five-ton fountain was moved to Earlwood Park after 1951 when the farmer's market was moved to Bluff Road. It was relocated to the Township Auditorium in 1980, but this historic fountain was returned to Earlwood Park in 2012 when the remodel of Earlwood Park was completed. During the coronavirus pandemic and everything, we've all been looking for outlets to you know, release energy and engage our minds and engage our bodies. And to have a public park so close has been incredibly therapeutic. It's well maintained, well organized, beautiful. So it's it's been a real blessing in my life for sure. You get to smell the flowers, see the the magnolias when they're blooming and you hike a trail in the middle of the city. Not a concrete trail. There's no concrete and you're stepping over brambles sometimes. You just get to see nature that you wouldn't see in the middle of the city. So it's great. Earlwood Park is full of amenities. We have the wonderful Apple Theater that they've hosted several outdoor concerts throughout the community, free baseball fields, a basketball court, an 18 hole disc golf course, fabulous playground, picnic area, restrooms for the picnic area, and tennis courts. I think the course makes a beautiful use of the property. All the holes are real tight without you know crossing over each other and the like. It's a beautiful course full of all different types of foliage. So I really like the elevation change and it's just it's a beautiful place with lots of shade. Right next door to Earlwood Park is Noma Dog Park. Noma Dog Park is located at 1250 Parkside Drive. It is a membership only dog park. So for more information about registration or membership for the dog park, please contact your parking recreation office. It's nice to have a nature walk where you can get out and do a little cardio, do it with your dog, up the hills, down the hills, around the hills, and then at the same time you can as a member you come in and you take the leash off, have a sit down, let your dog run, and you know you don't have to worry about them wandering off into traffic or wandering off into the woods. But at the same time there's enough smells, enough trees, and a good time to tag by all. Also located at Earlwood Park we have two buildings. The first building is the Parks and Recreation Administrative Building, housing all the administration operations. The next building is Earlwood Community Building where it is available for reservations and it's host to various City of Calrini training. The community center along with the picnic shop that's also available for rentals. And for more information of renting these areas you can call 803-545-3100. The city has put a lot of effort into cultivating a beautiful green lush park where people can have some kind of communion. So, text some friends, come out here, play some disc golf or play some basketball. There's a lot of different things you could do. Let's say just participate in your city life, enjoy the outdoors, and come to Earlwood. As with all our parks, our mission here at City of Calrini Parks and Recreation is to change lives through a culture of transformational leadership, innovation, and phenomenal customer service. Thank you for joining us today, and please join us in the future for more series of Exploring the Parks. And remember, we are Columbia.