City Seeks to Purchase American Legion Park

The Columbia City Council is seeking to purchase the ball fields and other recreational areas within American Legion Memorial Park in order to maintain their public use.  The City hopes to finance half the purchase with an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

American Legion Post 581 has been providing athletic fields for community use since 1958.  With the aging of the group's membership, it has become increasingly difficult for the Legion to physically maintain the fields, so negotiations were begun to transfer the land to City ownership in order to maintain its recreational use.  The 17.1-acre parcel is used by more than 1300 young people annually through programmed sports programs.

Financed by a percentage of the state's Real Estate Transfer Tax, OSLAD grants can fund acquisition of land for new park sites or park expansions; up to 50% of approved project costs can be reimbursed.  Grant applications are submitted statewide and funds are awarded annually through a competitive process. Lands acquired with OSLAD funds are required to be operated and maintained in perpetuity for public outdoor recreation.

With 117 acres of open space, Columbia ranks near the minimum national threshold for open space, but much of that land is currently undeveloped for recreational use; hence, the American Legion Fields are an outstanding local resource for the community--one that the City hopes to preserve for future generations.

Columbians Tour the Past in Jerseyville

Members of Columbia's Heritage & Preservation Commission (CHPC) made a trek last Saturday to Jerseyville to see how another community in Southwestern Illinois is preserving its heritage.

Hosted by members of the Jersey County Historical Society, the Columbia contingent spent several hours in Jerseyville exploring one place which conveniently brings together several historic properties: the Cheney Mansion, a museum & research center, a pioneer log cabin, and the Lone Star School.  The one room school, which was moved to the Historical Society site and restored to the original condition, was of particular interest to Columbia's visitors since they are currently involved in restoration of three historic school buildings. 

CHPC Chair Dennis Patton took particular interest in the brick courtyard surrounding the Lone Star School, which shows locations for every one room school located in Jersey County at the beginning of the 20th Century.  Jersey County Historical Society members sold engraved bricks and benches for the courtyard to raise more than $37,000 to help defray costs of moving the school to the site.  Patton is exploring a similar idea to commemorate one room schools across Monroe County--this brick courtyard will surround the new Monroe County Welcome Center in Columbia's Stone Arch Park.

The members of the CHPC enjoyed many other aspects of the Jerseyville historical complex, as well.  Among other things, Jerseyville was a staging point in the clandestine, grassroots movement known as the Underground Railroad--the route of slaves escaping captivity in the antebellum South. One highlight of the museum is an Underground Railroad Quilt accompanied by posted explanation of its code. Secret messages in the form of quilt patterns are believed by many students of the era to have aided slaves escaping the bonds of captivity in the Southern states before and during the American Civil War.


Pictured above, right:  CHPC Chair Dennis Patton discusses the brick courtyard around Lone Star School in Jerseyville with Patsy Halemeyer, a volunteer with the Jersey County Historical Society, while CHPC Vice Chair Linda Roider looks on.

Main Street Dining Expands With Opening of New Restaurant

Columbia's dining opportunities will expand next month with the opening of Reifschneider's Grill & Grape at 608 N. Main St., next to the ever-popular Tiny's Pub & Grill.  Along with perennial favorite Gruchala's, regionally cited Joe Boccardi's Ristorante and family favorite The Lantern Restaurant, Reifschneider's will help to reorient Main Street as a destination in what many are hoping is the start of a retail resurgence.

The new restaurant will be operated by Danny & Heather Reifschneider in a building leased from Gregg Crawford and with financial assistance from the City of Columbia's revolving loan fund.  Heather--also the proprietor of Vida Verde Salon & Boutique, elsewhere on Main Street--grew up in the food service industry; her father owns Miller's Crossing in Chesterfield.  Reifschneider's will pattern its service, quality and menu after Miller's Crossing with prices that meet the expectations of Metro East customers.

Renovation for the restaurant is being completed on the former Main Street Bar & Grill to provide inside seating for 60 patrons (plus additional seating at the bar) and to create new outdoor seating accommodations for as many as 76 customers.

Welcome, Sandra's Art Depo!

Columbia's Main Street community is working to develop--through venues like the annual Art Walk event--an image as a local center for the arts.  A new business hopes to embellish that image: Sandra's Art Depo.

Located in the building owned by Tammy Mitchell Hines on N. Main St., the business officially opened yesterday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Columbia Chamber.  Owner Sandra Reynolds traded in her career in sales after 30 years for a paint brush and the opportunity to help other artists discover their own talents.

Sandra's Art Depo specializes in decorative art in various mediums, lessons for adults and children, and art sales for home and office--the gallery features a selection of art from various artists in the metro area.  Call Sandra at (618) 281-2060 or register online for lessons.  She says: "Join a class, learn to paint, and see the world in a new way."


Pictured above: Tim Gutknecht (Columbia Rotary Club); Alderman Jim Agne; City Administrator Al Hudzik; "Hutch" Schlafly (Chamber President); Sandra Reynolds; Marsha Han (Roosters Health Food); Bill Meyer (First National Bank of Waterloo); and Sarah Arendell (Edward Jones).