Owens Field Park

To keep up with the growing demand for soccer fields, the City of Columbia entered into an agreement with the YMCA and Richland County to develop and manage the site of the former Columbia Municipal Airport, now Owens Field Park. This 68 acre site has been renovated into a regional park with nine soccer fields used extensively by the City/YMCA Youth Soccer Leagues.

In the planning process for the new park, community input was considered and several features were added. The site has youth baseball fields, a roller hockey rink, inline skating area, restrooms and nature walking trails. The re-opening of Owens Field Park in September of 1999 was surrounded by all kinds of soccer and baseball games as well as a variety of skating activities. The park, which is across Jim Hamilton Boulevard from the new Downtown Airport, is used for statewide soccer events and draws skaters from a three state region. The skating/skateboard area features ramps and quarterpipes.

Owens Field park is directly across from the Downtown Airport so you may get lucky and see small planes taking off or landing. The airport has several historic planes, including one that was flown in Jimmy Dolittle's raid on Japan during WWII.

The Ben Arnold Recreation Center is right around the corner behind Memorial Stadium and it features new play equipment. Rosewood Park is also close by.