Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area (Cosmo Park) — Attraction in Columbia

It’s Columbia’s favorite park… and for good reasons! The playgrounds are very popular. The play structures are new (or newish), well maintained, and interesting. There is so much space to play or run wild on the playground. Honestly, it’s TOO big for me to take more than 5 kids, or I have to make a rule about where they can play in relation to where I am. It’s big enough for 75 or more kids to play… and elementary schools bring a whole grade level here for class picnics. There are areas in the playground that are fine for wet days (no mulch, no puddles, No mud). There are some natural features to climb on (rock ledges/walls, easy to climb trees). There is a sand pit area which is not in a place of prominence, if the adult supervisor isn’t interested in Sandy shoes or car seat! The playground isn’t super close to the bathrooms, which are open just spring until mid Oct, but an easy walking distance. There are two large picnic shelters near the playground, but not within exact eyeline of the equipment - meaning parents can’t see the kids on the much of the playground, if at all, as they sit at the picnic tables. The playground is a safe distance from The parking lot, so it is less likely for a kid to accidentally dart into traffic. There are large trees along playground perimeter. There are a few swings, many giant tires, and several jungle gym/hubs for playing. There is an area with enormous slides that are fun for all ages. There are wide spaces for tag/running wild. There’s an overload/boardwalk to see most of the playground at once. There’s some wheelchair accessible equipment and landscape features.

There is a new preschool age playground near the main playground. It is a safe distance from parking spaces and is large enough to be fun, but small enough to be able to keep track of many kids at once. My preschooler really enjoys this space.

There is a fitness trail/track around The park. The trail is well maintained (asphalt?) and is well suited to bikes, rollerblades, scooters, jogging, etc. it is wide enough for 3 people to easily walk side by side.

There are numerous sports fields with adjacent parking. Parking is fair - free, typically close by.

There’s a skateboard park, paved roller rink, and pavilion near the back of the park, but there’s only a portable toilet there.

This is a well used park, but it seems like There’s always an area that is...

I did like it when I got to use this park the shelter. I would go there and cook me some coffee from the electric and I would stream on my phone in the morning time just place to be. And I do have writings on my back glass on my vehicle which may not be appropriate words to some people but it's just freedom of expression and it's my car. Right I'm the owner of my car people put sometimes on their back glass just married or graduation 2022 or something like that right you can do that with shoe polish on your back car window or whatever and I done that but not probably something that most people would put up there but I don't care. Anyway the manager Parks and recreations manager of this particular park walked up to me asked me a question if the red car was my car I said yes it's my car He said well there's some graffiti on a bathroom that is closed that's similar to the writings that you have on your car and wanted to know if I knew anything about it I said no I don't know nothing about that why? And the guy said well I just was asking a question and turned around abruptly and walking off and getting on his phone I said go ahead call the cops on me whatever I ain't done nothing I'm not in control of people that do graffiti why would I put graffiti on your bathroom wall when I can graffiti my own car? Right is he saying that my graffiti on my car triggered somebody to go and graffiti the bathroom I don't know I don't know anything about it I don't need the graffiti anything if I'm using the park why would I want to deface something that I'm using I could deface My own vehicle if I want to I can sell my car if I want to it's my vehicle. Sure enough he did call the cops on me and the Columbia police came and so they trespass me from that cosmopolitan Park no big deal. Because I did yell at them and I yelled at that manager of the park I mean it was my choice to get triggered I guess because I felt like he was insinuating that I had something to do with something that I didn't do. What about people that graffiti train cars? So yeah I'm going to give you a one start I hated getting kicked out of cosmopolitan Park because I put graffiti on my own car and I guess they think I'm responsible for something that I'm not even responsible for why would I graffiti a bathroom when I can...

Cosmo park is a great community asset in Columbia. It's a very large park that definitely gets used more and more as the city grows. Ever since I was a kid I spent many days and nights at Cosmo either playing or watching baseball and softball, or going to the skate park, or playing kickball tournaments at rainbow fields, or coaching soccer for show me games. It was always my favorite reward to get taken to Cosmo playgrounds as a kid as well. But there's tennis courts, pavilions you can rent for parties, a public gold course, and a really nice multi use paved trail that goes around a lot of the park. There are a couple ponds, a few public bathrooms just in case and many soccer fields that are great for throwing a frisbee or anything else you can think of when they aren't in use by soccer players. I've flown kites here, hiked on the bear creek trail from the trail head in the back. Theres even an RC car dirt track I believe for anyone interested. My grandparents lived and worked at the house by the back entrance for 25 years when it was a photography studio and their home. My grandfather even had the key to the gates when there was one. Pretty amazing to think it used to be the airport as well. If you look on Google maps you can tell that the main roadways follow the old runways. And up front behind the fenced area where they keep all the maintenance supplies theres even an old hangar left. Pretty neat history. My grandparents old house actually used to be up by the airport, and housed the airport manager until the place closed and the house was moved to where it is today near the parkside dr. entrance to the park. But anyway, I recommend all residents and visitors to Columbia tale advantage of this great and ever expanding and...