Blueways projects get $150k boost from Spartanburg County

Tygerberry Landing at Berry's Pond is one of five projects that will be funded by a $150,000 allocation to the Blueways Coalition by Spartanburg County Council.

Spartanburg County Council has agreed to give the Blueways Coalition $150,000 for five projects that will increase public access to waterways in the Tyger River Basin.

County Councilman Justin Bradley, chairman of council’s Livability Committee, said the funds were budgeted by the Parks and Recreation Department, with some of the dollars coming from the county’s hospitality tax.

“Our vision is to transform hidden gems,” said Joe Wilson with the Blueways Coalition and Middle Tyger Area Council of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

County Councilman David Britt said the projects will benefit outdoors enthusiasts and help to attract more residents and businesses to the county, which expands the tax base.

The total cost of the projects is $264,000.

 

The projects include: 

• Tygerberry Landing at Berry’s Pond on Berry Shoals Road, at a cost of $74,000. It will have a kayak and canoe launch, access ramp, picnic area, nature trail, drop-off area, marsh habitat and gravel parking with curb stops for 18 cars.
• Cooley Landing on the South Tyger River on South Spencer Street, which will include six to eight parking spaces, a kayak/canoe launch and a natural pathway to the river, at a cost of $50,000. The property was recently donated by Lisa Cooley Scott to the Tyger River Foundation.
• Beech Springs Landing, also on the South Tyger River at South Danzler Road, at a cost of $45,000. It will include eight to 10 parking spaces, a natural kayak/canoe launch, and river access. It will also be used by nearby Spartanburg School District 5.
• Docks at Lake Cooley Park, for $30,000, and Tygerberry Landing, for $30,000, that are compliant with the American with Disabilities Act.
• Nesbitt Shoals Park, formerly known as Tyger 10 Park, for $35,000. The park will get an asphalt entrance to the top of the hill, and two automatic solar-powered gates for entrance and exit.

 

Kody Crawford was recently hired as the project manager for the Tyger River Foundation to manage the projects. Crawford previously worked for the Arizona Conservation Corps, the National Forest Service, and the AmeriCorps VISTA program in West Virginia, where he developed the Guyandotte Water Trail.

The Blueways Coalition is a committee within the Middle Tyger Area Council that supports greenways, blueways and conservation with the long-term goal of economic growth and quality-of-life improvements. Wilson said the group receives funding from other sources as well, including the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

Other project partners include Upstate Forever, the Startex-Jackson-Wellford-Duncan Water District, the Tyger River Foundation, the Spartanburg County Parks and Recreation Department and the Spartanburg Area Conservancy.