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Health & Fitness

Community celebration for James Rouse's 100th birthday on May 4

On May 4, Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) and Columbia Archives will join residents from across the region for a free, family-friendly public celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. at Merriweather Post Pavilion honoring the extraordinary life and legacy of James Rouse. Rouse, who co-founded Enterprise and developed the city of Columbia, would have celebrated his 100th died in 1996, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services called him “a creative and passionate advocate who did more to revitalize American cities than anyone this century.” 

Famous for building planned communities, enclosed shopping malls and "festival marketplaces," like Harborplace in Baltimore and Faneuil Hall in Boston, Rouse considered his most lasting legacy to be Enterprise, which he called “by far the most important work” of his life.

“We’re proud to celebrate and honor Jim’s centennial as we continue to work toward our goal of ensuring that every American has a decent, affordable home,” said Terri Ludwig, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners. “Together with our partners, Enterprise has created hundreds of thousands of homes over more than 30 years, and we continue to expand opportunities for families every day. I hope Mr. Rouse would be proud.”

The May 4 celebration is a free event that will feature children’s activities, a performance by the Young Columbians, several speakers and cupcakes. Organizers hope to see a large community presence at the party, where attendees will be encouraged to write their hopes for Columbia’s future on a giant replica of a birthday cake. It is part of The Life and Legacy of James Rouse, a series of events commemorating the centennial of Rouse’s birth. 

“Jim’s contributions to American public life were profound and lasting, from festival marketplaces to affordable housing, and there’s no better place to celebrate that legacy than in Columbia,” said Barbara Kellner, director of Columbia Association’s Columbia Archives. “He loved this community, and we’re proud to be able to honor him as part of an ongoing celebration of his life.”

Previous events this year commemorating the centennial include an exhibit at the Columbia Art Center and a tree planting at Wilde Lake. After the May 4 event, the celebration continues with a Wilde Lake WalkAlong tour on May 17, Columbia’s 47th birthday party on June 20, a July exhibit titled “Jim Rouse at Leisure” at Columbia Archives, an August exhibit at The Mall in Columbia titled “Brilliant Expectations,” a Columbia BikeAbout on September 13, and a symposium in the fall.  

About Enterprise
Enterprise works with partners nationwide to build opportunity. We create and advocate for affordable homes in thriving communities linked to jobs, good schools, health care and transportation. We lend funds, finance development and manage and build affordable housing, while shaping new strategies, solutions and policy. Over more than 30 years, Enterprise has created nearly 320,000 homes, invested $16 billion and touched millions of lives. Join us at EnterpriseCommunity.com or EnterpriseCommunity.org.

About Columbia Association

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Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit service corporation that manages Columbia, MD, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.

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