Upstate Forever Active Living Event to Feature Taylors Town Square

May 15 tour to focus on successful grassroots community-building effort in unincorporated Greenville County

GREENVILLE, SC – Local conservation group Upstate Forever, in partnership with Greenville County Parks, Recreation and Tourism, is hosting Taylors Town Square: Community Revitalization in an Unincorporated Area onFriday, May 15 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in Taylors. The program and itinerary are designed to share the unique story of Taylors Town Square, an organization focused on the betterment of Taylors, an unincorporated area of Greenville County. “From the original organizers’ modest goal of providing a physical space for people in the community to meet and better know one another, Taylors Town Square has emerged as a model for grassroots community-building, one that could be adapted for any size or type of community.” according to Sherry Barrett, Upstate Forever Program Associate.

Alex Reynolds, President of Taylors Town Square, and Scott Park of the Greenville County Planning Department will present an overview of the history and evolution of Taylors Town Square, including lessons learned, projects underway, and future plans. Participants will tour the community, visiting key places representing various aspects of Taylors’ revitalization. Several stops will showcase adaptive reuse of existing community facilities, including Due South Coffee Roasters and WRKGRP, a collection of creative work studios in The Taylors Mill – the site of the former Southern Bleachery and Print Works – and The Academy of Arts and Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in the former Taylors High School building. Greg Cotton, owner of WRKGRP and others will be on hand to share their experiences and roles in the re-emergence of a cohesive sense of community in Taylors. Participants will also visit historic Chick Springs. Colin Young, Park and Development Planner with Greenville County Parks, Recreation and Tourism, will discuss plans for a park at the site.

There is no cost to attend, and lunch is included; however, space is limited. To reserve a seat, RSVP to (864) 327-0090 or [email protected].

Sponsored by the Mary Black Foundation, this is the second event in Upstate Forever’s 2015 Active Living Event Series. The series is designed to encourage community dialogue about policies and infrastructure to support active, healthy communities. For more information on the 2015 Active Living Event Series, contact Sherry Barrett at [email protected] or (864) 327-0090.

About Upstate Forever

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit, membership-based organization promoting sensible growth and the protection of special places in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Our three program areas are Land Trust, Sustainable Communities, and Clean Air and Water. Founded in 1998, Upstate Forever now has nearly 2,000 members, two offices, and a staff of 18. For more information, visit www.upstateforever.org.