Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Repaired water slides may last four to five years.
The process of replacing the aging SplashDown at the Columbia Swim Center inched closer on Tuesday night as architects presented three new options to take the place of the waterslides. The plans ranged in cost from $2 million to $9.5 million. Williams Architects/Aquatics presented the options on Tuesday night at the Hawthorn Center along with plans for a new indoor pool. The first option, priced between $2 million and $3.1 million, would keep the swim center intact as is, but replace the SplashDown feature with one or two family-friendly features. The second option involves remodeling the Swim Center's main pool area and building enclosure to make it more thermally efficient as well as adding a children's wading pool. The cost is …
Architects hired by Columbia Association presented four multi-million dollar options for a new indoor pool.
Columbia Association has narrowed down the options for a new indoor pool to four designs that would cost between $5 to $6 million at three different locations. Representatives of Willaims Architects/ Aquatics, the firm hired by CA to handle aquatics upgrades, presented the options to about 50 community members at a meeting on Tuesday night at the Hawthorn Center. The impetus for a new indoor pool is to provide more lap swimming options for CA members, according to Bob Bellamy, sport and fitness director for CA. "We know we need additional indoor lanes in our aquatic facilities," said Bellamy, who cited interest in lap swimming for fitness as one of the reasons for a new indoor pool. The proposals will be presented to the CA board on Jan…
Monday, October 29, 2012
No classes before 10:45 a.m., call hotline to find status of classes.
Columbia Association has put into effect their inclement weather policy due to Hurricane Sandy. There will be no classes or programs before 10:45 a.m. After 10 a.m. residents should call the inclement weather hotline 410-715-3154 to determine status of classes after 10:45 a.m. Other closing decisions will be made on Monday. In addition, Howard County Schools are closed today due to Hurricane Sandy.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
A plan would add more than 50 miles to Columbia's pathway system.
It's a number every realtor in Columbia knows—there's 93 miles of pathways that meander through the city, connecting everything from residential communities to village centers. But that number could change, as Columbia Association looks to increase the pathway system by 51.5 miles. The effort would be coordinated between CA and Howard County to increase connections on the pathways as well as signage and ease of travel, according to the plan that was submitted to CA's Board of Directors in September. The county's responsibility exists on roads owned by the county, according to the plan. Connecting Columbia—the group of CA staff, residents and consultants that created the plan—noted in its plan it has coordinated its efforts with the …
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Alliance for a Better Columbia obtained the information in late August.
Here's all 33 pages of 2011 salary information provided by the Columbia Association to the Alliance for a Better Columbia. Read the original article on the salary information here - CA Releases Employee Salary Information
The top 50 paid employees at CA account for 25 percent of the $22 million spent in 2011 on employee compensation.
Columbia Association has released a full list of employee compensation by position that breaks down the $22 million spent in 2011 on salaries. The 50 highest salaries account for approximately 25 percent of the $22 million spent, with the 19 employees who make more than $100,000 accounting for approximately 12 percent of total pay by the association. Top 10 Salaries: Currently, CA employs 1,444 people including part-time, temporary and seasonal workers, according to CA spokesperson David Greisman. A full list of employee salaries has been posted here - http://patch.com/A-xKb4. Salary costs made up approximately 40 percent of CA's Fiscal Year 2011 budget. CA provided the payroll information to the Alliance for a Better Columbia, a local …
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Columbia Association also voted to partially fund a trip to France for four representatives.
Columbia Association announced recently it would add solar panels to the Amherst House in King's Contrivance. The association also voted to partially fund a trip for four CA representatives to travel to France. CA plans to place 100 solar panels on the roof of Amherst House in King's Contrivance at a cost of $100,000 according to an article on Explore Howard. The article states the panels will provide about 75 percent of the energy needs of the facility, which is managed by the King's Contrivance Community Association. In March, CA installed 12 solar panels at the River Hill pool and neighborhood center, which a CA spokesperson said cost $25,000 at the time. In addition, on Thursday the CA board voted to spend about $2,500 on airfare for …
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Up to four CA representatives have been invited to a "Twinning Celebration" in France, but airfare would cost around $1,250 per person.
Up to four representatives of the Columbia Association have been invited to attend a "Town Twinning Celebration" in Columbia's "Sister City," Cergy-Pontoise, France. Cergy-Pontoise has offered to pay for the hotel accomodations during a weekend schedule that would include official meetings, cultural activities and sightseeing tours, according to the CA. But there's a catch. The CA must provide airfare costs for the representatives who attend. The CA estimates the cost per person to be $1,250, according to an article on Explore Howard. What do you think, should the CA fund the trip, partially fund the trip or save the money? The question the CA is now asking itself, is should representatives who want to attend pay their own airfare or …
Saturday, June 30, 2012
With thousands without power and extreme heat descending on Howard County, the Columbia Association has invited residents to use their outdoor pools for free.
The Columbia Association announced it would be allowing all Howard County residents still without power to use its outdoor pools free of charge on Saturday and Sunday. Pools are open from noon to 7 p.m. Howard County residents interested in utilizing this opportunity can check the CA aquatics website to find a pool closest to them. Also, The Supreme Sports Club is still without power and therefore will remain closed today, July 1. Howard County government has also listed a number of cooling centers on its Facebook page residents can use if they want to escape the heat: Howard County Library Branches: - Central Branch, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044, 410-313-7800, Weekend Hours of Operation: Sat. 10 am-6 pm and Sun., 1-…
andrew gutenson
6:57 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
I absolutely vote for the last option. I love big water slides, especially the pitch black ones. more ›