Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson County is hosting a public forum for comments on the development of the Piedmont Riverfront Park property Monday from 5-7 p.m. at the Piedmont Community Center.
The project will provide new public access opportunities, including an ADA-accessible kayak launch, boat landing, and shoreline trail, at an as-yet undeveloped almost 30-acre site owned by Anderson County on the Saluda River in the village of Piedmont. All project elements are designed to be wholly accessible by persons with disabilities or impaired mobility in keeping with Anderson County’s mission to make all county facilities accessible to all persons.
Area residents are encouraged to attend the drop-in session to review the conceptual site plan, draft environmental assessment, and receive other information regarding an Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant application for the project.
Anderson County Dist. 6 Councilman Jimmy Davis, who represents the area, has made the purchase and development of the 28 acre property along the Saluda River a key goal of the district.
The multi-phase construction of a nature park and kayak launch facility on 28.02 acres of land located at 550 River Road in Piedmont at the confluence of the Saluda River and Big Brushy Creek, approximately .4 mile north of the Piedmont Dam.
The working title for this planned facility is “Piedmont Riverfront Park”. The county is seeking funding for Phase I of the project from the National Park Service (NPS) Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant program, administered in the state by SCPRT. The property is the former site of Metromont Materials sand dredging operations.
Phase I development will consist of: an ADA-accessible kayak launch facility; 5,000 linear feet of ADA-accessible sidewalk; improved parking area and access; and initial development of nature paths, shoreline access trails, and habitat enhancements.
Upon completion of all phases, the facility is planned to hav an improved landscape plan with canopy trees, improved access to all areas of the shoreline, a 2,800-foot natural surface trail, a paved sidewalk system, a restroom facility, primitive campsites,a pedestrian bridge and boardwalk, beach improvements, a gatehouse, an amphitheater/outdoor classroom, and five picnic shelters. More than 20 acres (2/3 of the site) will be left undisturbed or only lightly disturbed.
Piedmont Riverfront Park represents yet another stage in the development of the Saluda River Blue Trail, joining four other such facilities on the Saluda in Anderson County developed for public access and enjoyment. A consortium that includes public recreation providers, private sector interests, recreational enthusiasts, advocates for the physically challenged, environmental groups, and individuals has formed a Vision Plan for a 127-mile Blue Trail along the Upstate South Carolina portion of the Saluda River.
Anderson County sees this as a project of regional significance. More than 1.8 million people live within a 50-mile radius of the site, and independent research indicates that about 130,000 of them participate annually in kayaking or a similar paddling activity. A direct economic impact of $300,000 and indirect impact of $1 million annually is generated for every 5,700 persons visiting the Blue Trail for kayaking, tubing, or paddling, and this number does not include the economic impact of persons visiting the Blue Trail to engage in boating, fishing, wildlife-watching, or passive outdoor activities.
The Blue Trail enhances recreational access for kayakers and others in the six Upstate South Carolina counties that border the Saluda River, including Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, and Pickens Counties. This six-county collaboration and public/private partnership represents a regional effort to promote and preserve our local natural resource by creating river access and resource awareness.
A draft environmental assessment for this project is available for public review and comment at www.andersoncountysc.org
Below is a rendering of all phases of the park.
