Livability

Observations

• Columbia is one of the fastest-growing cities for the arts and entertainment industry, ranking either first or second in employment growth each of the past four years.

• We’re seeing steady, albeit slow, improvement in violent crime rates. This must remain an area of focus, however, as it’s an area where several of our peers have seen rapid improvement.

• The Columbia metro has steadily slipped in the Gallup Well-Being Index, from the top 20% of all regions when we first published the Competitiveness Report to the bottom 20% today. While a cause-and-effect relationship is not clear, factors affecting this perception-based index could include low wage growth, the loss of corporate headquarters and the spread of food deserts in lower-income areas.

Brag Inspiration

Columbia is rich with outdoor recreational assets:

• The Lower Saluda River is one of the only urban rivers with Class IV whitewater.

• Congaree National Park — the only national park in South Carolina — is also the nation’s closest to a metropolitan area, drawing over 160,000 visitors annually. It’s been named the #1 place to see synchronous fireflies by Smithsonian Magazine, and its River Trail has been named one of Backpacker Magazine’s “Eight Classic National Park Hikes Everyone Should Do.”

• Harbison State Forest is one of the nation’s largest urban green spaces. Its 2,177 acres offer mountain biking, hiking, trail running and river access.

• Boasting over 600 miles of shoreline, Lake Murray draws thousands of residents and visitors for world-class fishing and boating.

Trail Systems in Austin

Austin, TX, is home to one of the nation’s most comprehensive trail systems. Recognizing that a rapidly growing population needed access to the outdoors and an alternative to congested commuting routes, Austin developed a strategic plan that includes hundreds of miles of greenways, blueways and bike paths. Now, the system sees over 1.5 million users every year and draws visitors from around the country.

Opportunity

Columbia has the opportunity to build a world-class greenway system originating at Lake Murray, traversing downtown, and continuing to Congaree National Park.

To capitalize on this opportunity, a greenway system must be completed and embraced as a truly regional asset, connecting residential neighborhoods, attractions and business centers. That requires buy-in from counties, municipalities and the private sector — all possible funders and developers of the system. The potential benefits are widespread: in addition to increased recreational opportunities, potential spillover benefits include greater physical activity among residents, greener commutes and improved community interconnectivity.

The original 2.4 mile section bordering the Columbia Canal and the connected segments along the Congaree River from Cayce to West Columbia will soon be bolstered by the first section of the Saluda Greenway, while the next section — which will bridge the Broad River to the existing Columbia Canal — is in the works. Meanwhile, planning is underway for Phase 2, ultimately linking the Lake Murray Dam all the way to downtown Columbia.