Columbia continues evening youth-access rule at Finlay Park
Columbia is continuing an evening access rule at Finlay Park requiring visitors age 17 and younger to be accompanied after 5 p.m. by a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult who is at least 21 years old.
The requirement began June 21 and applies seven days a week, according to the City of Columbia. It affects young people seeking to use the park during evening hours, as well as the adults who accompany them.
Rule followed June 20 incident
City officials addressed the rule and other public-safety measures at a June 22, 2026, briefing about an incident at Finlay Park during the June 20 Juneteenth Freedom Fest.
The briefing was announced for Finlay Park at 930 Laurel St. The city’s available materials describe the event as an incident and do not establish a final criminal or investigative outcome.
The official materials also do not provide a termination date or review deadline for the youth-access rule. That means the city has announced the requirement as continuing, but the available release does not establish that it is permanent.
City outlines broader youth response
Alongside the park rule, the city described youth engagement, police initiatives, workforce development and internship opportunities as parts of its response following the June 20 incident.
City officials said 103 interns were being supported across city departments and youth programs during summer 2026. The internship effort is separate from the Finlay Park access requirement, but was included in the city’s public update on youth resources.
Participants included high school students from Richland School District One and Richland School District Two, college students and workforce-development participants. The city did not identify a future briefing, deadline or scheduled decision point for the park rule in the available materials.
What park visitors need to know
For Finlay Park visitors, the immediate policy is limited to a specific time and age group: after 5 p.m., anyone 17 or younger must be with a qualifying adult. The accompanying adult may be a parent, legal guardian or another responsible adult, but must be at least 21.
The city has confirmed that the restriction operates every day. No additional conditions, expiration date or future review process were specified in the official release.
Sources
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