WEEK-LONG CHARRETTE PLANNED FOR POTENTIAL CITY PARK

GREENVILLE, SC – February 21, 2013 – The City of Greenville, as a part of the Connections for Sustainability planning project, will host a week-long public planning workshop, or charrette, beginning February 21 on a potential park that could be built near A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School, the Kroc Center and in the area currently occupied by the Public Works facility.  The Connections for Sustainability project, funded by a $1.8 million planning grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation, focuses on establishing linkages between affordable housing, transportation options, economic development and open space in Greenville’s West Side.

The City is considering relocating Public Works operations to another site because the current facility is located within a flood zone.  Periodic flooding of the Public Works facility disrupts the City’s ability to respond to flood emergencies and post-storm cleanup by rendering the facility unusable during flood events. The City also incurs additional expense to cleanup and repair damage to City facilities after each flood event.

“If the Public Works operational facilities are relocated to another site, the relocation may provide an opportunity to develop a public park and a safe place for the Reedy River to temporarily flood,” said Parks and Recreation Director Dana Souza. “The trees, shrubs, grass and open space with the park and the flood zone would easily tolerate the effects of a flood, and the open land would more closely reflect the natural function of a floodplain. In addition, the proposed location of the park would ideally connect west side residents to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and downtown Greenville.”

The City has not made any final decisions to relocate the Public Works operational facilities or to build a park on this property. The City has, however, received grant funding to plan for a park should there be a future opportunity to construct a park on the Public Works site.

Faciliated by Seamon Whiteside + Associates, the charrette will provide the community with the opportunity to generate discussion and collaborate on ideas for the potential park.

The consultants will gather the information and use it to create several design visions.  Below is the schedule of workshops open to the general public:

Thursday, February 21 at 6 p.m.
Kroc Center
Public Meeting and Project Kick-Off

Saturday, February 23 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kroc Center
Public Charrette and Work Session. Childcare will be provided.

Monday, February 25 – Wednesday, February 27 – 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tabernacle Baptist Church (across from A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School)
Open House Public Charrette; Walk-ins are encouraged.

Thursday, February 28 at 6 p.m.
Kroc Center
Public Meeting and Drawing Exhibition
At this meeting, the consultant team will share the drawings they have produced over the previous week, highlight the requests and comments heard most often and make sure all comments have been documented.

For more information, visit connections.greenvillesc.gov/.