Wilde Lake

Wilde Lake connects Columbia’s beginnings with an active village center. Bryant Woods, Faulkner Ridge and Running Brook are its three named neighborhoods. In 1967, work began on Slayton House and several of the village’s recreation and commercial facilities. Today, the lake and the arts programming give visitors two different reasons to return.

Make Slayton House the arts stop

At 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Slayton House houses the Wilde Lake Community Association, along with a theater, dance studio and meeting spaces. A class or performance can make a more focused introduction than an unscheduled look around the village. Use the relevant event listing to find ticketing or registration, particularly when arranging a visit with a group.

Visit the Bernice Kish Gallery

The Bernice Kish Gallery occupies the lobby and conference room at Slayton House. Its regional art exhibitions are free to visit during building operating hours, and receptions are open to the public. The shared conference room can be booked for other activities, so the gallery asks visitors to call ahead for viewing times. That small step matters if seeing a particular exhibition is the main purpose of the trip.

Approach the lake as shared open space

Wilde Lake Park, its barn, boathouse, picnic area and play space belong to CA’s open-space system. A lakeside stop is a different experience from an indoor arts visit. Anglers should read CA’s Wilde Lake fishing map and restrictions, which distinguish permitted areas from protected residential shorelines. Follow the marked public access instead of assuming every stretch beside the water is available for walking or fishing.