Learn more about Columbia history atColumbiaArchives.org.

MonthlyA PUBLICATION OF COLUMBIA ASSOCIATIONCANOV 2012

C A M O N T H LY 1

2 CA in the Spotlight: AnInterview with AquaticsTeam Member Ken Zachmann

3 Learn Martial Arts with CA

8 Be a Part of YourCommunity Events

ColumbiaBegan50 Years Ago

This Month

Before there were 10 villages with more than 30 neighborhoods for nearly

100,000 people, and before there were pathways and pools and gyms and

camps, there were the first four plots of land making up a total of 1,039 acres.

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thisweek@CABy David Greisman

This is where the planned community of Columbia began, with

what was primarily farmland owned by R.G. Harper Carroll, William

Kahler, James R. Moxley and Esther Wix. In early November 1962

— 50 years ago this month — those properties were acquired for just

$655,000 by a company calling itself Howard Estates.

Yet that was but a shell company of Community Research and

Development, which itself was a subsidiary of The Rouse Company. And

those 1,039 acres, all located west of Cedar Lane in what is now part

of Harper’s Choice and Clary’s Forest, would be just the beginning.

By October of 1963, a total of five shell companies had purchased

a patchwork of 13,719 acres of land, done in this surreptitious

manner so as to avoid price inflation. At the end of that month, The

Rouse Company announced that it was behind the mass land

acquisition, and that it intended to use it to build a city.

“Being able to buy that much land is significant,” said Barbara

Kellner, director of the Columbia Archives. “They were able to do it

in nine months under relative secrecy so that they kept the prices to

a point where it was economically feasible.”Rouse had lived at the time in the Baltimore neighborhood of

(continued on page 2)

Where

The Security Realty sign from the first land purchase for Columbia, made in 1962.

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2 C A M O N T H LY

CA TODAYFollow Columbia Association (CA) on Twitter at

Twitter.com/CA_Today and get the latest onCA classes, programs, initiatives and major news!

your connection to the Columbia Association

COLUMBIA WAS BUT A FLEDGLING COMMUNITYmore than four decades ago, and Ken Zachmannwas still a teenager when he began working in it.Columbia turned 45 this year, and Zachmann hasbeen with Columbia Association (CA) for 43 ofthose years — longer than anyone else.

In 1969, Zachmann got a job as an assistantmanager at Running Brook Pool, one of a few newpools to open that year. Several positions andseveral decades later, he is now the supervisor forall 12 pools on the east side of Columbia.

Zachmann was 19, approaching 20, back when hewas hired. Now 63, he has worked at CA longerthan any other employee. His job remains specialto this day, he says.

“I come here as a supervisor, but when I walkaround and people come up to me and talk to meabout how well my staff’s doing, or a certainprogram, or I see a child just learning to swim andthey’re just so happy — and it’s unbelievable howexcited they are — and to be able to say to them,‘Wow, that is really great,’ and they just beam,”Zachmann said.

“That dynamic would bring anyone back everysingle year,” he said. “That’s the best part of thejob, without a doubt.”

John Herdson, CA’s aquatics director, first metZachmann 28 years ago when Herdson’s kids tookswimming lessons with him. They have workedtogether for 24 years, and Herdson has beenZachmann’s supervisor for 14.

“He has a teaching role with all of our staff,”Herdson said. “Most of them are in their first yearof employment, and Ken can give them a workingknowledge and an understanding of what to do andhow to do it.”

Every month, CA in the Spotlight high lights adifferent team member. For the full text of thisinterview, as well as a video, please go tobit.ly/zachmann. And for more stories, check outCA’s blog at ColumbiaAssociation.org/CAtoday.

ColumbiaBegan50 Years Ago

This Month

Where

Roland Park, giving him insight to problems both urbanand suburban, according to Kellner. In cities, he sawovercrowding, crime, slums and less than ideal livingconditions. In suburbs, meanwhile, there were the issuesof isolation and too much travel time between wherepeople lived and what they wanted to do.

As far back as the 1950s, Rouse had been speakingabout cities and had been thinking about creating adifferent kind of community within a growing,metropolitan area. Later, a Community Research andDevelopment board member saw the sign off CedarLane advertising the 1,039 acres of land for sale in thisotherwise quiet section of Howard County.

“Howard County fit that model of being in a growtharea,” Kellner said. “The county had published the 1960general plan, which called for great housing and industrialgrowth in this area, just because of this location.”

The broker for that deal, Robert Moxley, hadconvinced his family and three other nearby landownersto sell their properties as one parcel. It was difficult forthe people on these smaller farms to make a living, evenback then, Kellner said.

The buyers “were offering very decent prices, andmost of the owners took that as an opportunity to takethe money and go elsewhere,” she said.

James Rouse and his namesake company were able tobuild their planned community in his figurativebackyard. By 1964, The Rouse Company had releasedits plan for the city, with preliminary drawings. In 1965,it went before the county government for the zoningprocess and passed without much discussion.

Howard County in 1965 still had some segregatedschools, a decade past the landmark Brown v. Board ofEducation decision by the U.S. Supreme Court,according to Kellner. A reporter asked Rouse whetherColumbia was going to be a racially open city.

“Rouse responded ‘Yes,’ that he couldn’t imaginebuilding a city and not having it be open to everyone,”Kellner said.

Columbia was founded two years later in 1967, andhas grown in the 45 years since to become the secondmost populous community in Maryland.

And it all started 50 years ago this month with those1,039 acres.

COLUMBIA ARCHIVES will be opening

an exhibit at the beginning of

December on the 50th anniversary

of the first land purchase, and it

will be hosting an open house on

Dec. 11. Columbia Archives is

located at 10227 Wincopin Circle

in Downtown Columbia.

(continued from page 1) SpotlightAn Interview with

Aquatics Team Member

Ken Zachmann

CAinthe

Have you ever wanted to get your child into martial arts

classes, but they just weren't old enough? Well, here at

Columbia Association (CA), you can enroll your child as

young as 2 years old to learn the basics of martial arts. Most

karate schools do not take children until they are 6 to 7 years

old, but CA opens its classes to young children. CA offers

martial arts programming for the entire family. You can sign

up your Tiny or Little Dragon, take parent-child classes

together, or start from scratch as a beginner.

CA Director of Martial Arts John Bannon has more

than 25 years of martial arts experience, and has been

teaching for 22 years. CA’s martial arts programs are held at

Columbia Gym and Columbia Athletic Club and have been a

success with both youth and adult programs. Studying martial

arts can give one strength, grace, physical fitness and mental

tranquility. For kids, martial arts can improve concentration

and focus in school, help build confidence and self esteem,

and teach respect and discipline. CA offers several different

types of martial arts programs such as Chinese Kung Fu,

Judo, Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. Unlike most karate schools,

there is no long term commitment required with CA’s martial

arts programs, and participants can try out a class for free. For

a full description on CA’s martial arts programing, call John

Bannon at 410-531-8927 or visit ColumbiaMartialArts.org.

COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION (CA) WILLRECEIVE $25,000 a year for three years as part of alarger grant awarded to The University of Maryland,Columbia Association and the Anacostia River Society.The larger grant, for $691,674, was awarded throughEPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program forthe Sustainable Community Oriented StormwaterManagement (S-COSM) project. This project is part ofthe larger program, Sustainable Chesapeake: ACommunity-Based Approach to Stormwater ManagementUsing Green Infrastructure.

In a nutshell, the project is designed to increase theadoption of residential stormwater practices such as raingardens. Some of the grant money will go to socialmarketing and education programs to reach people andinform the public of the importance of storm watermanagement. The grant will also help fund a decisionsupport system for watershed stewards and otherpractitioners to help prescribe where management systemsshould be in the Wilde Lake watershed. A communityWatershed Advisory Committee was established years agoto help guide CA in this process.

For more than 30 years, FISH of Howard County Inc. has provided food, financial assistance,referral information and more to county residents with legitimate emergency needs. On Oct. 6,Columbia Art Center partnered with FISH to host “Empty Bowls” — a fundraiser aimed at

helping county families fight hunger.This year’s event is a response to the more than 2,250 requests FISH received over the last 12

months. The agency provided 29,000 nutritionally balanced meals; more than $40,000 in assistance forevictions, utility turnoffs or other crisis needs; and nearly $39,000 for prescription assistance.

More than 300 handmade bowls were made by Columbia Art Center students and faculty and were given away to those who paid $20 to attend the fundraiser. At the event, donors enjoyed live music, a studio demonstration,silent art auction, light fare and could take home a bowl of their choosing.

At last count, Empty Bowls raised $4,400. You may contact FISH at 410-964-8660 if you missed the event but arestill interested in helping out.

By Erin McPhail

By Melissa Sinclair

By Mark Scott

Learn Martial Arts with CA

CA Receives Grant for WatershedImprovement

Filling Needs with

C A M O N T H LY 3

“Empty Bowls”

4 C A M O N T H LY4 C A M O N T H LY

Columbia was founded 45 years ago. Read on to learn about the organizations,

facts and artifacts that have helped make this community great. Compiled by Aria White

What’s in a Name?

The objective in choosing the name ofColumbia was to “seek out a useful name witha historical connotation that would be part ofthe tradition of Howard County.” More than30 U.S. cities or towns are named Columbia.The development team selected Columbia froma list that also included Meridian andWellspring as potential choices.Most street names in Columbia are derivedfrom the works of poets, authors and artists.In the beginning, the theme seemed perfect —the best art and literature reflected in the citybeing built to be the best in the country.

Public Art in ColumbiaThere are many pieces of public art on display in Columbia, and while many residents know they are pretty to look at, you might not know the history behind them.The Hug, a sculpture by Jimilu Mason, was a gift to the people of Columbia from The Rouse Company and the Enterprise Development Company in honor of Mort Hoppenfeld in 1987. Hoppenfeld was an architect and urban planner who was the chief planner, vice president, and director of planning and design for The Rouse Company. He was responsible for overseeing the entire planning and development of James W. Rouse’s vision of Columbia. He designed the Columbia Town Center Lakefront, adapted from the Trivoli Gardens in Rome, Italy.

5 Explore Columbia’sHistory

At right: The Hug sculpture, located by the Downtown ColumbiaLakefront, beside the American City Building

C A M O N T H LY 5C A M O N T H LY 5

current organizational relationships anddevelop a plan of action to achieve optimumcitizen participation

• To achieve the goals, the committee conductedinterviews, opinion surveys, held neighborhoodmeetings and published a report on theirfindings

Women’s Center of Howard County• Opened in 1969 and closed in 1981

• The goal of the center was to “reach, encourageand provide tools for all women in the community to experience themselves as complete human beings with the potential toinfluence their own lives and the communityin which they live and work”

• The center hosted workshops for women, offered childcare services and published anewsletter providing information on sexuality,assertiveness, separation and divorce, nutrition,career choices and more

Grassroots • Founded in 1970 as a hotline to provide

counseling to Howard County’s youth• In 1989 Grassroots started operating as a

20-bed facility as an emergency shelter for individuals and families

• The organization also operated a 12-bed transitional housing program to help peopleget financial stability through employmentwhile staying in a supported group-living situation

• Information on current services offered by Grassroots can be found on their website atGrassrootsCrisis.org

41

3

5

The temporary art installation namedPrairie Ship Columbia was placed inTown Center by the Columbia Forumin 1989

Grassroots has provided shelter and support for the homeless in the community since 1970

5 2

Organizations that Shaped

ColumbiaHoward County Arts Council Formerly Columbia Arts Council• Originally formed in 1969

• A nonprofit organization, organized to produce,promote, encourage, sponsor and provide financial support for cultural activities inHoward County

• Serves as a force for unifying the communitythrough the arts and other cultural activitiesand strengthening the county’s cultural resources• Provides grants to local artists so they

can practice and improve their skills

Howard County Chamberof Commerce• Founded in 1969

• Serves the following purposes:• To speak on behalf of the business community

of the Columbia/Howard County area in matters that relate to the county and state authorities

• To provide a meeting place where the business people of the area can bring their suggestions to improve the climate in whichthey operate

• To develop sources of information of value to the members and devise methods to advance their interests

• To promote the area as a desirable place to live and work

• To promote greater awareness in the nationand abroad of the role the area plays as a model for the future

Roles Study Committee• Established in 1971 by Columbia Association

(CA) and the Columbia village associationsto respond to residents’ concerns about their participation in decision making in Columbia

• The committee had three goals: identify goals for resident participa- tion, analyze the effectiveness of

What’s Next for Columbia?

Columbia just celebrated its 45th birthday, and thebig 5-0 is right around the corner. In order to planfor the future, it’s important to look at the past andthe goals that were set. Many of the goals looked atyears ago are still relevant to Columbia’s developmenttoday.• The Columbia Forum presented “An Agenda for

Columbia” to the community on Columbia’s 25thbirthday in 1992

• The agenda included goals for Columbia’s next 25 years for arts, communications, cultural and religious diversity, downtown, economic develop -ment, education, environment, governance, health,housing, sense of community, transportation andthe role of the Columbia Forum

• Some of the specific goals included:

• Downtown to create in downtownColumbia a vibrant, exciting urban centerthat welcomes people

• Governance to encourage citizens toparticipate in governance

• Housing to assure that affordable housingis available for all Howard County citizens

• Transportation to develop public transportation which allows all citizens to move easily within our city and throughout the region

Learn about Columbia with Columbia Archives

Columbia Archives provides the community with awealth of information on the history of Columbia. Columbia Archives is located at 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD 21044 and isopen Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm. Appointmentsare not necessary but are strongly encouraged.Contact Columbia Archives at 410-715-3103 or Columbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

6 C A M O N T H LY

By Mark Scott

Teens, Parents Invited to Learn More About CA’s

2013 Sister CitiesExchange Program

Deposit and Withdraw at the

Time Bank

Parents and teens interested in learning about the

annual summer Sister Cities High School Exchange

program are invited to attend one of four informational

sessions hosted by Columbia Association (CA).

The sessions will take place at CA Headquarters, located

at 10221 Wincopin Circle in downtown Columbia, on

Wednesday, Nov. 7; Thursday, Dec. 6; and Wednesday, Jan. 9.

All are scheduled to be held from 7-8pm. Each session will

include teen and parent alumni of the program, as well as

Laura Smit, program manager for CA’s international

exchange and multicultural programs, all of whom will speak

and answer questions about the month-long program.

Teen participants spend approximately two weeks of

cultural and linguistic immersion during the summer in one

of Columbia’s sister cities: Cergy-Pontoise, France, or Tres

Cantos, Spain. During this time, they are hosted by the

family of a French or Spanish student. After returning to the

United States, students will then host their French/Spanish

counterparts for another two weeks. Throughout the trip,

there are organized group activities for the participants,

both abroad and in the U.S.

The program fee is $650 for Columbia residents and

$790 for non-Columbia residents, excluding airline tickets.

Airline tickets may range from $1,100 to $1,500 per

participant. Applicants must be high school students

residing in Howard County and must have completed high

school level three of French or Spanish by the end of the

current academic year or have the equivalent language

fluency. The application deadline is Feb. 22.

For an application or more information, please visit

ColumbiaAssociation.org/TeenExchange, or contact Laura Smit

at 410-715-3162 or International@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Pamper yourself

While you are relaxing,your kids can enjoy twohours of KidSpace activities,including games, arts andcrafts, music and more.Pre-registration is required.Call 410-531-8984 to register.

spa daysNourish Your Body and

Rejuvenate Your Skin

@ Columbia Gym!November 12 &

December 17

with services fromthe Still Point Spa

MANY OF US HAVE TIGHT FUNDS AND TIGHTschedules. Great news! Columbia’s CommunityExchange Time Bank provides a way for us tomake helpful connections and meet basic needs.

How valuable would the exchange of everydayservices be to you? Columbia Association (CA)has teamed up with Howard County’s timebanking program to provide Columbia residentswith a good, old-fashioned bartering programthat goes like this: Spend an hour doingsomething for another time bank member andearn a Time Dollar. Then use your Time Dollar tobuy an hour from another member who canprovide a service you might need such as house

is not an agency and cannot mandate members toprovide services.)

Orientations are held the third Mondayof every month and by appointment. Pleasecontact the office at 410-884-6121 orCommunityExchange@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

sitting, dog walking, tutoring or minor repairs —trades of all types.

Becoming a time bank member is free. Simplyattend an orientation session and share yourinterests, skills and offers. (Please note that this

C A M O N T H LY 7

By Erin McPhail

By Melissa Sinclair

PersonalTraining at CA

Rock Your JeansJourney Update

Columbia Association (CA) has recently unveiled its brand new, state-of-the-art personal training studio for CA members and Columbia Cardholders to use with their personal trainers at Columbia Gym.

People now have an option to work out with their trainer in a private studioinstead of in the general fitness areas. Personal training participants from any ofCA’s three fitness facilities can utilize this studio, which is now home to the state-of-the-art Synrgy360 unit created by Life Fitness. Currently CA is the only fitnessfacility in Maryland that has this equipment. Personal trainers offer services suchas TRX®, kettle bells, free weights, center core and biometric trainings that canall be done in the new studio. A personal training client won't find a lot ofmachines in the studio, but what one will find is everything they need to getleaner, stronger, balanced and more flexible.

By utilizing the services a CA personal trainer has to offer, participants won'thave to work harder because they will be training smarter. Dena Taylor, assistantdirector for personal training at CA, states: “Trainers can help straighten yourposture, eliminate aches and pains, help you sleep better and approacheverything you do with more vigor and a better attitude. We prehabilitate yourbody to lessen the risk to have to rehabilitate your body!” For more informationon personal training, please visit ColumbiaFitness.org/PersonalTrainingor view a video about the new studio at YouTube.com/CATVchannel.

The Rock Your Jeans Expo was a rocking success. The classes were fun,energy driven and powerful. Something special was happening in theSupreme Sports Club Arena that day. You could feel it.

The highlight of the day was, without a doubt, the very inspirationalfashion show presented by Columbia Association (CA) and Macy’s. Themodels were members of CA who had transformed their lives and bodiesthrough working out in CA classes and withpersonal trainers. They had dropped, onaverage, two dress/pant sizes, and it was sogreat that they got to celebrate the hard-earned accomplishments with a fashionshow. After seeing such inspirational models, how could anyone not hopefor similar success with the new fitness challenge?

The Rock Your Jeans journey began on Oct. 15 and will continue throughDec. 15. Participants are working hard to drop two jeans sizes so they canrock into the New Year with a rocking body! Follow my progress online atColumbiaAssociation.com/CAToday.

SouthAsiaCultureCaféSunday, November 4 • 1:30-4:30pmHoward County LibrarySystem’s Miller Branch9421 Frederick Rd • Ellicott City • 21042Bring your family to enjoy the culturesof South Asia during an afternoon ofdisplays, dance performances, music,henna and children’s stories.South Asian snacks will be provided.

“Like” CA’s newGroup Fitness

Facebook page at

to stay informedabout group fitness

classes at theCA fitness facilities.

Facebook.com/CA.GroupFitness

Facebook“like” us on

facebook.com/

Canned Food Drive Nov-Dec • Owen Brown CommunityCenter • 410-381-0202.

Senior Lunch for LongReach Residents OnlyThu, Nov 1 • 12-1:30pmStonehouse • 410-730-8113.

Cardmaking for VeteransSat, Nov 3 • 10am • LongfellowNeighborhood CenterHCEvents@ColumbiaVillages.org.

Columbia Art CenterGalleries ExhibitionReception: Triple Vision:Ceramics ShowSat, Nov 3 • 4-7:30pm • ColumbiaArt Center • ColumbiaArtCenter.org.

Casino Night Sat, Nov 3 • 7-10pmOwen Brown Community Center410-381-0202.

Event Ticket Sales Begin for Lunch with Santa (Dec 8) and Cookies and Craft withSanta (Dec 15)Mon, Nov 5Kings Contrivance Village Center410-381-9600.

Internet Safety for Kids and Parents Wed, Nov 7 • 7pm • Claret HallEvents@VillageofRiverHill.org.

Sister Cities Information SessionWed, Nov 7 • 7pm • CAHeadquarters • 410-715-3162.

CA Board MeetingThu, Nov 8 • 7:30pmCA Headquarters • For updateddates and times, please visitColumbiaAssociation.org.

Family Fun Bingo (6 Cards for $1)Fri, Nov 9 • 7:30-9pm • AmherstHouse • 410-381-9600.

Harper’s Choice VillageBoard MeetingTue, Nov 13 • 7pmKahler Hall410-730-0770.

Town CenterVillage BoardMeetingWed, Nov 14 • 7pmHistoric Oakland Manor410-730-4744.

Bernice Kish GalleryNovember Exhibit: BrianMiller and Izya ShlosbergThu, Nov 15-Fri, Dec 19Hours vary • Reception: Sun, Nov 18,3-5pm • Bernice Kish Gallery atSlayton House • CJBlack@Columbia

Villages.org.

Lively Arts ForLittle Ones

Presents:“Kidsinger Jim”Fri, Nov 16 • 10am

The Other Barn410-730-4610.

Columbia Art CenterGirl’s Night Out: Batik with a Twist –Craft Night Out with Your Friends!Fri, Nov 16 • 6:30-8:30pmColumbiaArtCenter.org.

Holiday Craft FairSat, Nov 17 • 10am-3pmHistoric Oakland Manor410-730-4744.

CA Board MeetingTue, Nov 20 • 7:30pmCA Headquarters • For updateddates and times, please visitColumbia-Association.org.

Aquatics Feasibility Study MeetingTue, Nov 27 • 7-9pmHawthorn CenterAquatics-study-design-concepts.eventbrite.com.

Master GardenersPresent: Tips on “Decking the Halls withNatural Materials”Wed, Nov 28 • 7pmThe Other Barn410-730-4610.

Owen Brown ResidentArchitecturalCommitteeWed, Nov 28 • 7:30-9pmOwen Brown CommunityCenter • OBCovenants@Columbia Villages.org.

Have a question or comment? E-mail CAmonthly@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

November Visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events to learn about more great events happening in Columbia!COMMUNITY EVENTS

8 C A M O N T H LY