Bill Baker discusses the new dog park soon to be built in Earlewood with his puppy. At 100 years old, Earlewood Park certainly isn’t showing its age.

At its centennial celebration on May 8, the 66–acre urban forest looked better than ever, with the opening of a new mile–long North Main Area Nature (NOMA) trail, a look at plans for a soon– to–be–built dog park, scavenger hunts, speeches, food, music and other festivities for the young and young–at–heart.

An estimated 500 people attended the day–long event, according to organizers, including Columbia Mayor Bob Coble and mayor–elect Steve Benjamin, who were on hand for the opening of the nature trail. Both lauded the efforts of the city and Earlewood Community Citizens Organization (ECCO) to make the park a viable destination for Columbia’s citizens.

“This is yet another example of the renaissance of a valuable neighborhood,” said Coble. “It’s a great day for the park and the citizens.”

Doice looks forward to the new dog park being built in Earlewood. Benjamin said the park’s longevity and viability is indicative of the good things that are happening in Columbia.

“Our role as a city is to improve the quality of life for our citizens,” he said. “This is a win–win all around, and I just hope that people will take advantage of this new nature trail and the park in general.”

After speeches and a dog parade down the new trail, the day continued with nostalgic events tied to each decade of the park’s existence from flappers to Maypole dances to hula hoop contests.

Other festivities included a kickball tournament and relay games, according to a release from the ECCO, with teams competing from the Columbia Police and Fire departments, Earlewood residents and neighbors from Cottontown, Elmwood Park, and Arsenal Hill.

Doug of Doug’s Hotdogs shares his specialty at the Earlewood celebration. “It was a very successful event,” said ECCO president Fred Monk after the celebration’s conclusion. “We felt that it increased people’s awareness of the park and the new amenities that the park has to offer.”

Earlewood reunion organizers also let people know the park is soon going to be going to the dogs in the form of a new 1.5 acre dog park to be located near its main entrance.

Booths were set up at the upper ball field with information about the new park, joined by vendors touting their obedience schools, grooming services, and pet adoption opportunities.

Tentatively named the NOMA Bark Park, the facility will be built by the city of Columbia, but several volunteers are working to raise money for “extras” that the city might not fund including benches and watering stations, according to Becca Spratlin.

“Everyone recognizes we need a dog park in this area of the city,” Spratlin said. “We would like to raise $5,000 to help outfit the park and are looking for individual and corporate sponsors to help make that happen.”

Anyone interested in joining the fundraising effort can find more information at www.earlewood. org. Friends of the NOMA Bark Park also have a link on Facebook.

Earlewood Park, located between River Drive and North Main Street, includes an amphitheatre, baseball fields, tennis courts, and one of the Columbia’s most popular disc golf courses. The park also is home to kickball.

The Earlewood neighborhood, established in 1910, includes more than 1,000 homes that reflect the architectural styles of the past 150 years—farmhouses, two–story Victorians, craftsman bungalows, brick Shandon–style, and new homes. According to a release from ECCO, the first log cabin in central South Carolina was built in Earlewood, and is now located at SesquiCentennial Park.