Splashy new amenities will add to fun at Lakeside, Northside parks
By Angelia Davis
STAFF_WRITER
adavis@greenvillenews.com
Large water slides and brightly colored umbrellas will debut this summer at Lakeside and Northside parks' outdoor pools run by the Greenville County Recreation District.
"We simply believe that the residents of Greenville want and expect nicer parks," district Executive Director Dan Rodgerson said. The district is the largest provider of public leisure opportunities in the Greater Greenville area.
Many of the district's 43 diverse parks are in dire need of repair, Rodgerson said.
"We're trying to do everything we can to run more efficiently so we can make these improvements in our parks. We're doing it without an increase in tax dollars."
Each of the district's four swimming pool parks are being refreshed.
J.J. Arrowood, vice chairman of the Greenville County Recreation Commission, said the group hopes that the improvements will prompt more people to use the parks and make their trips more fun.
The additions at Northside and Lakeside are part of the recreation district's annual capital budget, according to Robin Poole, the recreation district's marketing manager.
Northside Park, at 101 W. Darby Road in Travelers Rest, and Lakeside Park, at 802 Piedmont Highway, Piedmont, will get three six-feet water slides and several large colorful umbrellas to provide shade.
The Northside pool also has a new water filtration system, and the pool's deck will get a facelift.
The Lakeside Park's concession and restroom areas also will be renovated. That is expected to help the district attract more major tournaments and businesses to the park.
Westside Aquatic Center at 2700 W. Blue Ridge Drive is getting new fencing and signs to complete the installation of its new playground.
Westside's swimming pool will get a new filter to help keep the water clean and clear in a more efficient manner, Poole said.
The recreation district expects to transform Southside Park in Simponville into a $2.3 million water park.
The upgrade of Southside Park into the Discovery Island Family Aquatic Center is courtesy of $6 million in capital improvements funded from a number of different sources, including a general obligation bond, corporate donations and self-generated revenues, according to Poole.
Of the district's swimming pool parks, the one at Southside was in the roughest shape and needed the most repair. That is a reason why recreation district leaders decided to replace that pool with a water park.
"A lot of people have swimming pools, but there is not a water park close by -- so it's something new that hopefully can attract a lot of people," Arrowood said.
Upgrades aren't the only new features planned for the district's parks and facilities. The district expects to hold more special events at its satellite locations as well. An example is a Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt set for April 2 at Gateway Park in Travelers Rest.
"In the past, we've really focused a lot of our efforts on the core of Greenville, kind of in the city center. I think we need to continue to remind ourselves that we service the entire county," Rodgerson said.
"So we're going to make a concentrated effort to bring recreation out to the far corners of the community as opposed to expecting them to come in."
Graphic: Staff
Summer fun
Two Greenville County parks will feature water slides this summer.
1. Northside Park, Darby Road
2. Lakeside Park, State 20
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
County could open playground, soccer fields, trails to public by fall - Dan Rodgerson
County could open playground, soccer fields, trails to public by fall
By Paul Alongi
STAFF_WRITER
palongi@greenvillenews.com
Soccer fields, walking trails and a playground are planned for a Greenville County neighborhood where residents have been trekking a few miles to find a place to play.
The county park will be on 38 acres that for years has been considered an eyesore. A locked fence topped with barbed wire now surrounds the property at Beverly Road and Omar Street just north of Greenville.
John Fowler welcomes the $1.5 million park. He said he grew up in the neighborhood and remembers crossing Rutherford Road to use the playground at Wade Hampton Elementary School.
"Kids do need somewhere to go," he said.
Greenville Tuberculosis Hospital occupied the site for more than 20 years, closing in the 1950s. The state leased the building and used it as a work-release center for prisoners from 1974 to 1997.
When the state moved out, teens and vagrants moved in. Graffiti covered the walls, and beer bottles littered the property until the building burned in November 2002.
Tonya Wilson, who has a home and styling salon across the street, said the area on Piney Mountain needs a park. Taking her children, 9 and 12, to play requires a car trip, she said.
"There's nothing around this area for the kids to do," Wilson said.
The charred remnants of the building have been razed. The new park could be finished as early as fall, Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District, said Monday.
Michael Clardy, who has lived across the street from the property for 28 years, said he looks forward to a park coming. He hopes it will raise the value of his home.
"It's better to be a park than a prison," he said.
Grading on the site should begin soon, Rodgerson said, and as many trees as possible will be saved, as will some brickwork from the old structure.
The site will have a picnic shelter, rest rooms and about 200 parking spaces, he said.
Peggy Harts, who has lived in the area for 35 years, worries about the traffic the park might draw to the area's narrow roads.
The cost of the park will be paid by a state grant and the county's insurance claim on the burned building, Rodgerson said.
A name for the park hasn't been picked.
Paul Alongi can be reached at 298-4746.
Cutline: OWEN RILEY JR./Staff
Stone foundation: A new park will rise from the site of an abandoned tuberculosis hospital that burned down in 2002.
Mugs: Fowler, Clardy
Graphic: Suzie Riddle/Staff
New park
Residents say a park planned for Beverly Road and Omar Street is needed.
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By Paul Alongi
STAFF_WRITER
palongi@greenvillenews.com
Soccer fields, walking trails and a playground are planned for a Greenville County neighborhood where residents have been trekking a few miles to find a place to play.
The county park will be on 38 acres that for years has been considered an eyesore. A locked fence topped with barbed wire now surrounds the property at Beverly Road and Omar Street just north of Greenville.
John Fowler welcomes the $1.5 million park. He said he grew up in the neighborhood and remembers crossing Rutherford Road to use the playground at Wade Hampton Elementary School.
"Kids do need somewhere to go," he said.
Greenville Tuberculosis Hospital occupied the site for more than 20 years, closing in the 1950s. The state leased the building and used it as a work-release center for prisoners from 1974 to 1997.
When the state moved out, teens and vagrants moved in. Graffiti covered the walls, and beer bottles littered the property until the building burned in November 2002.
Tonya Wilson, who has a home and styling salon across the street, said the area on Piney Mountain needs a park. Taking her children, 9 and 12, to play requires a car trip, she said.
"There's nothing around this area for the kids to do," Wilson said.
The charred remnants of the building have been razed. The new park could be finished as early as fall, Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District, said Monday.
Michael Clardy, who has lived across the street from the property for 28 years, said he looks forward to a park coming. He hopes it will raise the value of his home.
"It's better to be a park than a prison," he said.
Grading on the site should begin soon, Rodgerson said, and as many trees as possible will be saved, as will some brickwork from the old structure.
The site will have a picnic shelter, rest rooms and about 200 parking spaces, he said.
Peggy Harts, who has lived in the area for 35 years, worries about the traffic the park might draw to the area's narrow roads.
The cost of the park will be paid by a state grant and the county's insurance claim on the burned building, Rodgerson said.
A name for the park hasn't been picked.
Paul Alongi can be reached at 298-4746.
Cutline: OWEN RILEY JR./Staff
Stone foundation: A new park will rise from the site of an abandoned tuberculosis hospital that burned down in 2002.
Mugs: Fowler, Clardy
Graphic: Suzie Riddle/Staff
New park
Residents say a park planned for Beverly Road and Omar Street is needed.
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Soccer players, walkers getting new place to exercise - Dan Rodgerson
Soccer players, walkers getting new place to exercise
The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: April M Silvaggio
Date: Apr 1, 2004
Start Page: A.1
Section: Front
Text Word Count: 490
Document Text
County buys more land at Pavilion
By April M. Silvaggio
STAFF WRITER
asilvagg@greenvillenews.com
TAYLORS -- Eastside residents will get two new soccer fields and a series of walking trails at the Pavilion off Old Spartanburg Road to meet the growing demand for athletic fields and recreation facilities.
"This is a great opportunity for the recreation district and everybody who uses the Pavilion," said Shacona Clark, 40, of Taylors, who brings her two sons to the arena at least once a week to play hockey or tennis.
"When we moved to Greenville eight years ago, the Pavilion was a big reason we bought our home on this side of town. We knew there would be plenty of opportunities for our boys."
A $100,000 study by a consulting firm in 2002 concluded that the county lacked enough parks and recreation facilities to meet the needs of suburban residents.
The study proposed $97 million worth of new parks and improvements, but voters rejected implementing a local sales tax that would have paid for the work.
This week, the Greenville County Recreation District spent $565,000 to purchase eight acres at the corner of Old Spartanburg and Scottswood roads, Executive Director Dan Rodgerson said.
The money came from the recreation district's capital budget, which includes funds from user fees and concessions. No tax dollars were involved.
"I know I'd definitely use the walking trails," Clark said. "And parents in our neighborhood are always talking about the need for more fields."
The Pavilion is in the midst of one of the recreation district's largest service areas, Rodgerson said.
Between 600 and 1,000 people use the facilities each day, he said.
Along with the two new soccer fields, walking trails, a new playground and extra parking, plans are to build a new recreation district headquarters on the adjacent acreage.
Officials hope to have the construction on the administrative office completed by November.
"We like where we are, but we don't own this property," Rodgerson said of the office space the district currently occupies off Interstate 385 near the Roper Mountain Science Center.
That site is owned by the Greenville County School District, which has asked the recreation district to find other accommodations.
The school district has agreed to pay the recreation district an estimated $350,000 for improvements it has made while occupying that site, Rodgerson said.
Those dollars will fund approximately half of the construction cost for the new office. The remaining money will come from the capital budget.
Meanwhile, that will leave only enough money in the capital budget this year to do the grading for the soccer fields. Finishing those fields would have to wait at least until next year unless the recreation district is fortunate enough to receive a grant to cover the cost of the work.
No taxes or fees are expected to increase as a result of the improvements, Rodgerson said.
KIM SUMMERS / Staff graphic
Planned Pavilion Expansion
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The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: April M Silvaggio
Date: Apr 1, 2004
Start Page: A.1
Section: Front
Text Word Count: 490
Document Text
County buys more land at Pavilion
By April M. Silvaggio
STAFF WRITER
asilvagg@greenvillenews.com
TAYLORS -- Eastside residents will get two new soccer fields and a series of walking trails at the Pavilion off Old Spartanburg Road to meet the growing demand for athletic fields and recreation facilities.
"This is a great opportunity for the recreation district and everybody who uses the Pavilion," said Shacona Clark, 40, of Taylors, who brings her two sons to the arena at least once a week to play hockey or tennis.
"When we moved to Greenville eight years ago, the Pavilion was a big reason we bought our home on this side of town. We knew there would be plenty of opportunities for our boys."
A $100,000 study by a consulting firm in 2002 concluded that the county lacked enough parks and recreation facilities to meet the needs of suburban residents.
The study proposed $97 million worth of new parks and improvements, but voters rejected implementing a local sales tax that would have paid for the work.
This week, the Greenville County Recreation District spent $565,000 to purchase eight acres at the corner of Old Spartanburg and Scottswood roads, Executive Director Dan Rodgerson said.
The money came from the recreation district's capital budget, which includes funds from user fees and concessions. No tax dollars were involved.
"I know I'd definitely use the walking trails," Clark said. "And parents in our neighborhood are always talking about the need for more fields."
The Pavilion is in the midst of one of the recreation district's largest service areas, Rodgerson said.
Between 600 and 1,000 people use the facilities each day, he said.
Along with the two new soccer fields, walking trails, a new playground and extra parking, plans are to build a new recreation district headquarters on the adjacent acreage.
Officials hope to have the construction on the administrative office completed by November.
"We like where we are, but we don't own this property," Rodgerson said of the office space the district currently occupies off Interstate 385 near the Roper Mountain Science Center.
That site is owned by the Greenville County School District, which has asked the recreation district to find other accommodations.
The school district has agreed to pay the recreation district an estimated $350,000 for improvements it has made while occupying that site, Rodgerson said.
Those dollars will fund approximately half of the construction cost for the new office. The remaining money will come from the capital budget.
Meanwhile, that will leave only enough money in the capital budget this year to do the grading for the soccer fields. Finishing those fields would have to wait at least until next year unless the recreation district is fortunate enough to receive a grant to cover the cost of the work.
No taxes or fees are expected to increase as a result of the improvements, Rodgerson said.
KIM SUMMERS / Staff graphic
Planned Pavilion Expansion
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Pavilion ice rink hot site for skaters - Dan Rodgerson
Pavilion ice rink hot site for skaters
The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: John C Stevenson
Date: Dec 8, 2004
Start Page: CE.1
Section: City People-Eastside
Text Word Count: 858
Document Text
Staff writer
jstevens@greenvillenews.com
Sports you associate with the South: golf, tennis, youth soccer.
But it's a sport you wouldn't normally associate with the South -- ice skating -- that brings Greenville resident Amber Goodwin to The Pavilion Recreation Complex in Taylors.
"I get to skate a lot," the 14-year-old said before taking to the ice recently, "and it's something that I really, really enjoy doing. I wish everybody loved it."
Goodwin said that, on average, she skates at The Pavilion three times a week, 11/2 hours at a clip, "unless I'm really energized, then I'll skate for like three hours on a Saturday."
She is just one of an estimated 2,000-3,000 skaters who each week glide across the frozen surface of the only public ice rink in the Upstate. She said she can do a few "little jumps and some spins," but The Pavilion plays host to skaters of all skill levels, from novice "ankle-benders" to pro hockey players, according to Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District.
Fans and wanna-be ice princes and princesses will have a chance to see the skills Upstate figure skaters have honed when the Pavilion presents "Christmas on Ice" this Friday and Saturday. The show features skaters from the area and is free to the public.
The Pavilion attracts a wide variety of ice-skating enthusiasts, Rodgerson said. "It's from toddlers to senior citizens, really. Our program caters to everyone. We don't have a 'typical' clientele. ... We've got some special Olympics figure skaters."
In addition, the minor-league Greenville Grrrowl practices at The Pavilion, and there are three youth ice-hockey leagues and four adult ice-hockey leagues that share time on the ice.
But since this is the South -- a region where ice is usually associated with tea, not sports -- Rodgerson said the Recreation District is aware of the uniqueness of the ice rink.
"In years past, a lot of the ice has been monopolized by some of the high-end folks," Rodgerson said, "and we wanted to switch that around and focus a little bit more on recreation and make the beginning skaters feel comfortable ... kind of take away that embarrassment factor."
To that end, group lessons are available for children and adults, and private lessons are available in figure skating, ice dance and pairs skating.
Ice enthusiasts can also schedule snow carnivals from 10-11 a.m. weekday mornings for groups of 10-25 children. For $7 each ($5 per child who lives in the Recreation District), children can ride sleighs and build snowmen, all with the icy "snow" created by the Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine.
The Pavilion's ice rink is open year-round, which makes it a cool alternative to summer's heat. And although the rink and the entire complex is 13 years old, its popularity continues to grow as traditional cold-weather sports creep southward.
"We've got a population base of 350,000 people and only one sheet of ice," Rodgerson said. "I think (when the rink was constructed) it may have been looked at as a wacky idea, but if you think about it, you've got a lot of hockey teams down South. And you also have a lot of transplants. I'm a Yankee transplant down here, and I grew up playing hockey.
"Not only do you have that population, but you've got an explosive growth population."
Write to City People, c/o The Greenville News, Box 1688, Greenville, SC 29602. The e-mail address is citypeople@greenvillenews.com
WANT TO GO?
-- What: "Christmas on Ice," a holiday figure-skating show
-- When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday
-- Where: The Pavilion, 400 Scottswood Road
-- Cost: Free. Call 322-7529 for more information.
FAMILY SKATING
Open skating hours through March:
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 7:45-9:15 p.m. Mondays
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (adults only) Tuesdays
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 2:45-4:15 p.m., 7:45-9:15 p.m., 9:30-11 p.m. Fridays
- 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., 1:30-3 p.m., 3:15-4:45 p.m., 7:45-9:15 p.m., 9:30-11 p.m. Saturdays
- 1:30-3 p.m., 3:15-4:45 p.m. Sundays
Admission: $4 for ages 12 and under and senior citizens; $5 for ages 13 and older; $4 per person for groups of 15 or more. Skate rental: $2
WHAT'S IN A RINK?
The Pavilion's ice rink is a sheet of ice 2 inches thick that rests on a bed of sand. Buried in the sand are cooling coils that keep the ice at a chilly 15 degrees. As the ice sheet forms, it's spray-painted white; later, the various stripes and circles that mark the rink for hockey are painted on by hand before the final ice layers are applied. The ambient temperature at the rink is 50 degrees year-round; so even if it's August and 95 degrees outside, skaters should eschew shorts and T-shirts for warmer garb when they come to skate.
Cutlines:
ALAN DEVORSEY / Staff
Local students enjoy College Night at the Pavilion ice rink, the only such public facility in the Upstate.
Skaters get in some ice time at the Pavilion on the Eastside
Kelsey Taunero, 11, stretches with help of her mom, Patty, before freestyle ice skating lessons at the Pavilion.
SUZIE RIDDLE / Staff graphic
Location of The Pavilion Skating Rink
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The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: John C Stevenson
Date: Dec 8, 2004
Start Page: CE.1
Section: City People-Eastside
Text Word Count: 858
Document Text
Staff writer
jstevens@greenvillenews.com
Sports you associate with the South: golf, tennis, youth soccer.
But it's a sport you wouldn't normally associate with the South -- ice skating -- that brings Greenville resident Amber Goodwin to The Pavilion Recreation Complex in Taylors.
"I get to skate a lot," the 14-year-old said before taking to the ice recently, "and it's something that I really, really enjoy doing. I wish everybody loved it."
Goodwin said that, on average, she skates at The Pavilion three times a week, 11/2 hours at a clip, "unless I'm really energized, then I'll skate for like three hours on a Saturday."
She is just one of an estimated 2,000-3,000 skaters who each week glide across the frozen surface of the only public ice rink in the Upstate. She said she can do a few "little jumps and some spins," but The Pavilion plays host to skaters of all skill levels, from novice "ankle-benders" to pro hockey players, according to Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District.
Fans and wanna-be ice princes and princesses will have a chance to see the skills Upstate figure skaters have honed when the Pavilion presents "Christmas on Ice" this Friday and Saturday. The show features skaters from the area and is free to the public.
The Pavilion attracts a wide variety of ice-skating enthusiasts, Rodgerson said. "It's from toddlers to senior citizens, really. Our program caters to everyone. We don't have a 'typical' clientele. ... We've got some special Olympics figure skaters."
In addition, the minor-league Greenville Grrrowl practices at The Pavilion, and there are three youth ice-hockey leagues and four adult ice-hockey leagues that share time on the ice.
But since this is the South -- a region where ice is usually associated with tea, not sports -- Rodgerson said the Recreation District is aware of the uniqueness of the ice rink.
"In years past, a lot of the ice has been monopolized by some of the high-end folks," Rodgerson said, "and we wanted to switch that around and focus a little bit more on recreation and make the beginning skaters feel comfortable ... kind of take away that embarrassment factor."
To that end, group lessons are available for children and adults, and private lessons are available in figure skating, ice dance and pairs skating.
Ice enthusiasts can also schedule snow carnivals from 10-11 a.m. weekday mornings for groups of 10-25 children. For $7 each ($5 per child who lives in the Recreation District), children can ride sleighs and build snowmen, all with the icy "snow" created by the Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine.
The Pavilion's ice rink is open year-round, which makes it a cool alternative to summer's heat. And although the rink and the entire complex is 13 years old, its popularity continues to grow as traditional cold-weather sports creep southward.
"We've got a population base of 350,000 people and only one sheet of ice," Rodgerson said. "I think (when the rink was constructed) it may have been looked at as a wacky idea, but if you think about it, you've got a lot of hockey teams down South. And you also have a lot of transplants. I'm a Yankee transplant down here, and I grew up playing hockey.
"Not only do you have that population, but you've got an explosive growth population."
Write to City People, c/o The Greenville News, Box 1688, Greenville, SC 29602. The e-mail address is citypeople@greenvillenews.com
WANT TO GO?
-- What: "Christmas on Ice," a holiday figure-skating show
-- When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday
-- Where: The Pavilion, 400 Scottswood Road
-- Cost: Free. Call 322-7529 for more information.
FAMILY SKATING
Open skating hours through March:
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 7:45-9:15 p.m. Mondays
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (adults only) Tuesdays
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 2:45-4:15 p.m., 7:45-9:15 p.m., 9:30-11 p.m. Fridays
- 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., 1:30-3 p.m., 3:15-4:45 p.m., 7:45-9:15 p.m., 9:30-11 p.m. Saturdays
- 1:30-3 p.m., 3:15-4:45 p.m. Sundays
Admission: $4 for ages 12 and under and senior citizens; $5 for ages 13 and older; $4 per person for groups of 15 or more. Skate rental: $2
WHAT'S IN A RINK?
The Pavilion's ice rink is a sheet of ice 2 inches thick that rests on a bed of sand. Buried in the sand are cooling coils that keep the ice at a chilly 15 degrees. As the ice sheet forms, it's spray-painted white; later, the various stripes and circles that mark the rink for hockey are painted on by hand before the final ice layers are applied. The ambient temperature at the rink is 50 degrees year-round; so even if it's August and 95 degrees outside, skaters should eschew shorts and T-shirts for warmer garb when they come to skate.
Cutlines:
ALAN DEVORSEY / Staff
Local students enjoy College Night at the Pavilion ice rink, the only such public facility in the Upstate.
Skaters get in some ice time at the Pavilion on the Eastside
Kelsey Taunero, 11, stretches with help of her mom, Patty, before freestyle ice skating lessons at the Pavilion.
SUZIE RIDDLE / Staff graphic
Location of The Pavilion Skating Rink
Rodgerson Race profile
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Exploroo Profile Dan Rodgerson
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New county water park fills up quickly - Dan Rodgerson
New county water park fills up quickly
The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: Angelia Davis
Date: May 30, 2005
Start Page: A.15
Section: Front
Text Word Count: 862
Document Text
Move to raise capacity cap could cut families' risk of running into a line
By Angelia Davis
STAFF_WRITER
adavis@greenvillenews.com
SIMPSONVILLE -- Simpsonville resident Trista Tilley visited Greenville County's new water park with her husband and three children the morning it opened and found hardly anyone there.
The next day was a whole different story.
She described it as "kind of a rude awakening because all of a sudden there was all these people." But the mother of children ages 7, 5, and 2 said that even then, it "didn't feel too crowded or uncomfortable."
So many have crowded into Greenville County's new water park during its opening weekends that some have been forced to wait outside for swimmers to leave so as not to exceed the park's capacity.
Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District, said Discovery Island Waterpark on Baldwin Road has reached its maximum of 800 most days it's been open since May 7. Wait times outside averaged about three minutes, he said.
But the end of the school year and weekday hours beginning June 6 could mean more crowds and longer waits unless the capacity limit is raised.
"Our fear is as it becomes more popular and we do more advertising and summer camps come, that there should be more people than we can accommodate," Rodgerson said.
The capacity limit is based on the number of bathroom facilities the park offers.
Coy Watts, a state health department associate environmental engineer, said a miscalculation based on the park's original design plans may have led to a lower capacity cap than it should be allowed.
He said the park has more showerheads than were submitted on the plans and that the park can handle about 1,200 people. Watts said that's the figure DHEC is going to resubmit to the county, and that it will be up to the county building codes department whether to change the copacity rating.
Rodgerson and Lee Polowczuk, a spokesman for Greenville County, said the building codes department is awaiting DHEC's determination.
Vanessa Means said her 17-year-old daughter visited the park and had a great time. Her only complaint is that there weren't more activities geared toward older children.
When time allows, Means said, she plans to take her younger children to the park.
"I'm glad to have it, even if I'm not out there," she said. "I think it's a wonderful addition to our city."
Tilley said she likes the park's size and feels comfortable letting her 7-year-old out of her sight. "I don't feel like I have to have my eye on him every second because there are so many lifeguards," she said.
"As long as he checks in with me before he goes into a new area, I feel pretty safe that he's OK," she said. "The lifeguards seem real attentive and really like they're doing their job."
Plans for the $2 million water park began in July 2003. The park replaced the pool at Southside Park, which served about 5,000 residents the entire summer during its heyday.
Discovery Park, Rodgerson said, serves about that number in five days. "We were kind of blown away. It's exceeded our expectations."
The main attractions are the two water slides that rise above the park and drop from a 30-foot platform.
As with any pool, DHEC requires the water park have attendants at the top and bottom of the slide, said Earl Whittington, manager of pool programs for DHEC's Appalachian II District.
He said the park has more than adequate number of lifeguards.
Steven Hayes, chairman of the recreation district's board of commissioners, said the water park follows safety guidelines set by DHEC. He said the park has 15 to 20 lifeguards on duty at all times that it's open.
Hayes also said the capacity of the park often doesn't translate to the number of people in the pool. Discovery Island was designed to have as much space surrounding the pool as the pool itself to accommodate visitors who don't want to spend time in the water.
Sabrina Bedingfield, mother of 4- and 6-year-olds and wife of Greenville County Councilman Eric Bedingfield, said the park needs to be "extremely" prepared for increased crowds. She believes the park will probably meet its capacity every day.
"It's summertime, it's not expensive, and it's fun as far as the children are concerned," she said.
The Saturday and Sunday crowds have been mostly parents and families. The weekday crowds are expected to be mostly children.
The Recreation District is asking camps, day-care facilities and groups that plan to bring in busloads of kids to call beforehand.
"Anyone coming with a group of over 20, they need to call because it would be horrible to come and not be able to get in because we're at capacity," Rodgerson said. "If we had 3,000 people show up, obviously we couldn't let them in because we're regulated."
Cutline: ALAN DEVORSEY / Staff
Water park: Tammy Staggs and her 16-month-old son Trevor play in the county's new water park off Baldwin Road.
Cutline: ALAN DEVORSEY / Staff
Watcher: Lifeguard Sarah Bell keeps an eye on the crowd at the new water park.
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The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: Angelia Davis
Date: May 30, 2005
Start Page: A.15
Section: Front
Text Word Count: 862
Document Text
Move to raise capacity cap could cut families' risk of running into a line
By Angelia Davis
STAFF_WRITER
adavis@greenvillenews.com
SIMPSONVILLE -- Simpsonville resident Trista Tilley visited Greenville County's new water park with her husband and three children the morning it opened and found hardly anyone there.
The next day was a whole different story.
She described it as "kind of a rude awakening because all of a sudden there was all these people." But the mother of children ages 7, 5, and 2 said that even then, it "didn't feel too crowded or uncomfortable."
So many have crowded into Greenville County's new water park during its opening weekends that some have been forced to wait outside for swimmers to leave so as not to exceed the park's capacity.
Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District, said Discovery Island Waterpark on Baldwin Road has reached its maximum of 800 most days it's been open since May 7. Wait times outside averaged about three minutes, he said.
But the end of the school year and weekday hours beginning June 6 could mean more crowds and longer waits unless the capacity limit is raised.
"Our fear is as it becomes more popular and we do more advertising and summer camps come, that there should be more people than we can accommodate," Rodgerson said.
The capacity limit is based on the number of bathroom facilities the park offers.
Coy Watts, a state health department associate environmental engineer, said a miscalculation based on the park's original design plans may have led to a lower capacity cap than it should be allowed.
He said the park has more showerheads than were submitted on the plans and that the park can handle about 1,200 people. Watts said that's the figure DHEC is going to resubmit to the county, and that it will be up to the county building codes department whether to change the copacity rating.
Rodgerson and Lee Polowczuk, a spokesman for Greenville County, said the building codes department is awaiting DHEC's determination.
Vanessa Means said her 17-year-old daughter visited the park and had a great time. Her only complaint is that there weren't more activities geared toward older children.
When time allows, Means said, she plans to take her younger children to the park.
"I'm glad to have it, even if I'm not out there," she said. "I think it's a wonderful addition to our city."
Tilley said she likes the park's size and feels comfortable letting her 7-year-old out of her sight. "I don't feel like I have to have my eye on him every second because there are so many lifeguards," she said.
"As long as he checks in with me before he goes into a new area, I feel pretty safe that he's OK," she said. "The lifeguards seem real attentive and really like they're doing their job."
Plans for the $2 million water park began in July 2003. The park replaced the pool at Southside Park, which served about 5,000 residents the entire summer during its heyday.
Discovery Park, Rodgerson said, serves about that number in five days. "We were kind of blown away. It's exceeded our expectations."
The main attractions are the two water slides that rise above the park and drop from a 30-foot platform.
As with any pool, DHEC requires the water park have attendants at the top and bottom of the slide, said Earl Whittington, manager of pool programs for DHEC's Appalachian II District.
He said the park has more than adequate number of lifeguards.
Steven Hayes, chairman of the recreation district's board of commissioners, said the water park follows safety guidelines set by DHEC. He said the park has 15 to 20 lifeguards on duty at all times that it's open.
Hayes also said the capacity of the park often doesn't translate to the number of people in the pool. Discovery Island was designed to have as much space surrounding the pool as the pool itself to accommodate visitors who don't want to spend time in the water.
Sabrina Bedingfield, mother of 4- and 6-year-olds and wife of Greenville County Councilman Eric Bedingfield, said the park needs to be "extremely" prepared for increased crowds. She believes the park will probably meet its capacity every day.
"It's summertime, it's not expensive, and it's fun as far as the children are concerned," she said.
The Saturday and Sunday crowds have been mostly parents and families. The weekday crowds are expected to be mostly children.
The Recreation District is asking camps, day-care facilities and groups that plan to bring in busloads of kids to call beforehand.
"Anyone coming with a group of over 20, they need to call because it would be horrible to come and not be able to get in because we're at capacity," Rodgerson said. "If we had 3,000 people show up, obviously we couldn't let them in because we're regulated."
Cutline: ALAN DEVORSEY / Staff
Water park: Tammy Staggs and her 16-month-old son Trevor play in the county's new water park off Baldwin Road.
Cutline: ALAN DEVORSEY / Staff
Watcher: Lifeguard Sarah Bell keeps an eye on the crowd at the new water park.
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Dan Rodgerson Recreation Articles
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Recreation leader's game plan includes field improvements- Dan Rodgerson
Recreation leader's game plan includes field improvements
The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: Gwendolyn C Young
Date: Mar 21, 2003
Start Page: B.1
Section: Metro
Text Word Count: 236
Document Text
STAFF WRITER
gyoung@greenvillenews.com
The county's new recreation district director arrived just in time to get his feet wet and figure how to develop new revenue sources.
"That's something I'm fairly versed at," said Daniel Rodgerson, who led several capital improvement programs in his former position.
Rodgerson was municipal parks and recreation director in Glenwood Springs, Colo. He was also assistant director for community services in Deerfield Beach, Fla., where he helped land a $2.7 million bond.
Rodgerson took his post here earlier this month.
Greenville's recreation territory includes a $6 million annual budget, 41 parks, a full-time staff of 50 people, 250 seasonal staff and a challenge to find new funding for operations and capital programs.
Rodgerson's expertise in raising money will be an asset for improvements such as drainage for the county's soccer fields. Fourteen fields were closed last month after four were damaged by heavy rain. Ernest Adams, programs director, said the fields will remain closed until there are at least 20 consecutive days without rain.
Rodgerson says he's ready for challenges.
"We will be aggressively looking for alternative funding sources for building new facilities, adding to existing properties and looking for new parcels," he said.
"I feel strongly about developing community partnerships," he said, "and reaching out into the community to build cooperative relationships will be one of our main goals."
KEN OSBURN/Staff
Team leader: Daniel Rodgerson is Greenville County's recreation district director.
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The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: Gwendolyn C Young
Date: Mar 21, 2003
Start Page: B.1
Section: Metro
Text Word Count: 236
Document Text
STAFF WRITER
gyoung@greenvillenews.com
The county's new recreation district director arrived just in time to get his feet wet and figure how to develop new revenue sources.
"That's something I'm fairly versed at," said Daniel Rodgerson, who led several capital improvement programs in his former position.
Rodgerson was municipal parks and recreation director in Glenwood Springs, Colo. He was also assistant director for community services in Deerfield Beach, Fla., where he helped land a $2.7 million bond.
Rodgerson took his post here earlier this month.
Greenville's recreation territory includes a $6 million annual budget, 41 parks, a full-time staff of 50 people, 250 seasonal staff and a challenge to find new funding for operations and capital programs.
Rodgerson's expertise in raising money will be an asset for improvements such as drainage for the county's soccer fields. Fourteen fields were closed last month after four were damaged by heavy rain. Ernest Adams, programs director, said the fields will remain closed until there are at least 20 consecutive days without rain.
Rodgerson says he's ready for challenges.
"We will be aggressively looking for alternative funding sources for building new facilities, adding to existing properties and looking for new parcels," he said.
"I feel strongly about developing community partnerships," he said, "and reaching out into the community to build cooperative relationships will be one of our main goals."
KEN OSBURN/Staff
Team leader: Daniel Rodgerson is Greenville County's recreation district director.
Dan Rodgerson Recreation Reports
Daniel Rodgerson Exploroo Profile
Daniel Rodgerson Travel profile
Dan Rodgerson Live Journal
County dives in to make splash with Simpsonville water park - Dan Rodgerson
County dives in to make splash with Simpsonville water park
The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: April M Silvaggio
Date: Dec 17, 2003
Start Page: B.2
Section: Suburbs
Text Word Count: 792
Document Text
Discovery Island may be open by the summer
By April M. Silvaggio
STAFF WRITER
asilvagg@greenvillenews.com
SIMPSONVILLE - It will be Greenville County's own version of Wet 'N Wild, an estimated $2.3 million water park with spouting geysers, splashy slides and a 270-foot lazy river perfect for cooling off on a hot summer afternoon.
The Greenville County Recreation District will begin building it in January on the site of Southside Park's old swimming pool.
Demolition of the pool, an antiquated structure built more than two decades ago, is beginning this week, said Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Recreation District. The goal is to open the gates to what will be known as Discovery Island this summer,
"I think this is great," said Kathy Starnes, 34, of Simpsonville, who has two young sons. "My boys love the water parks at Myrtle Beach, but obviously they only get to those a couple of times each summer. I can envision packing a lunch and spending the day there."
Along with the lazy river, the water park is expected to boast a 250-foot tube slide and a 185-foot body slide, as well as play structures and a zero depth play area to serve the tiniest of swimmers.
The tube slide will splash into a side section of the lazy river, allowing for a continuation of the ride. Swimmers may choose to relax for a few minutes and float with the current, or they may decide to hop out and brave the ride again.
The body slide will splash into a zone near the leisure pool.
Shelters will be in place to accommodate parties, family reunions and corporate functions. Discovery Island also will be available for private rental after hours.
The project, which overcame its final hurdle this month by winning approval for construction from the Zoning Board of Appeals, will be funded from the issuance of a low-interest revenue bond, which allows the proceeds from the use of the facility to pay for the debt service on the construction costs.
The Greenville County Council approved the revenue bond to finance the venture last summer.
It likely will cost $4-$6 per person to enter the park, Rodgerson said.
And while it won't be as large or quite as flashy as Wet 'N Wild, the nationally recognized name in premier water parks from Orlando to Las Vegas, it will be a substantial facility for Greenville County.
"We'll actually have a capacity of about 1,000, but that will include the picnic areas and concession areas," Rodgerson said. "Our plans are to do some lush landscaping and to have a lot of shade features. This is going to be a lot more than a swimming pool."
An estimated 8,000 people used the pool at Southside Park last year, according to the recreation district. When the water park opens this summer, officials believe that number will easily reach 40,000.
Expectations are that the water park will help draw tourists to Greenville County from all over the Upstate.
"I don't think there is another facility like this within at least 100 miles," Rodgerson said. "There is nothing like it in Columbia, and nothing like it in Spartanburg.
"I don't think we'll be competing with anybody locally, and that is why we wanted to do it. We wanted to offer something that hasn't been offered here."
It also should enable the recreation district to enhance existing programs, Rodgerson said.
"We believe the Discovery Island will aid in the instruction of teaching toddlers to swim because the zero depth area will let them gradually ease into the water while still touching the bottom," he said. "The lazy river will provide better water walking classes due to the extra resistance."
Tracy Kennedy, 28, of Mauldin, said all of the improvements at Southside Park will remind folks of its presence off Baldwin Road about a mile from Interstate 385 in the Golden Strip.
The park is home to the Discovery Park super-playground, and it boasts eight tennis courts, four athletic fields and a huge picnic shelter that can accommodate up to 300 people.
"It is really one of the nicer parks, and I don't think a lot of people know where Southside is," she said.
"Between the new playground and the water park, I think people will want to come here. And they should. My nieces and nephews love the playground. I think the water park will be a great place for church groups and scout troops."
Staff writer April M. Silvaggio can be reached at 298-4801.
Cutlines:
OWEN RILEY JR./Staff
Out with the old: Workers from McCalls Construction demolish on Tuesday the old Southside Park pool, where a new water park will be built.
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SUZIE RIDDLE / Staff
Location of water park
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The Greenville News - Greenville, S.C.
Author: April M Silvaggio
Date: Dec 17, 2003
Start Page: B.2
Section: Suburbs
Text Word Count: 792
Document Text
Discovery Island may be open by the summer
By April M. Silvaggio
STAFF WRITER
asilvagg@greenvillenews.com
SIMPSONVILLE - It will be Greenville County's own version of Wet 'N Wild, an estimated $2.3 million water park with spouting geysers, splashy slides and a 270-foot lazy river perfect for cooling off on a hot summer afternoon.
The Greenville County Recreation District will begin building it in January on the site of Southside Park's old swimming pool.
Demolition of the pool, an antiquated structure built more than two decades ago, is beginning this week, said Dan Rodgerson, executive director of the Recreation District. The goal is to open the gates to what will be known as Discovery Island this summer,
"I think this is great," said Kathy Starnes, 34, of Simpsonville, who has two young sons. "My boys love the water parks at Myrtle Beach, but obviously they only get to those a couple of times each summer. I can envision packing a lunch and spending the day there."
Along with the lazy river, the water park is expected to boast a 250-foot tube slide and a 185-foot body slide, as well as play structures and a zero depth play area to serve the tiniest of swimmers.
The tube slide will splash into a side section of the lazy river, allowing for a continuation of the ride. Swimmers may choose to relax for a few minutes and float with the current, or they may decide to hop out and brave the ride again.
The body slide will splash into a zone near the leisure pool.
Shelters will be in place to accommodate parties, family reunions and corporate functions. Discovery Island also will be available for private rental after hours.
The project, which overcame its final hurdle this month by winning approval for construction from the Zoning Board of Appeals, will be funded from the issuance of a low-interest revenue bond, which allows the proceeds from the use of the facility to pay for the debt service on the construction costs.
The Greenville County Council approved the revenue bond to finance the venture last summer.
It likely will cost $4-$6 per person to enter the park, Rodgerson said.
And while it won't be as large or quite as flashy as Wet 'N Wild, the nationally recognized name in premier water parks from Orlando to Las Vegas, it will be a substantial facility for Greenville County.
"We'll actually have a capacity of about 1,000, but that will include the picnic areas and concession areas," Rodgerson said. "Our plans are to do some lush landscaping and to have a lot of shade features. This is going to be a lot more than a swimming pool."
An estimated 8,000 people used the pool at Southside Park last year, according to the recreation district. When the water park opens this summer, officials believe that number will easily reach 40,000.
Expectations are that the water park will help draw tourists to Greenville County from all over the Upstate.
"I don't think there is another facility like this within at least 100 miles," Rodgerson said. "There is nothing like it in Columbia, and nothing like it in Spartanburg.
"I don't think we'll be competing with anybody locally, and that is why we wanted to do it. We wanted to offer something that hasn't been offered here."
It also should enable the recreation district to enhance existing programs, Rodgerson said.
"We believe the Discovery Island will aid in the instruction of teaching toddlers to swim because the zero depth area will let them gradually ease into the water while still touching the bottom," he said. "The lazy river will provide better water walking classes due to the extra resistance."
Tracy Kennedy, 28, of Mauldin, said all of the improvements at Southside Park will remind folks of its presence off Baldwin Road about a mile from Interstate 385 in the Golden Strip.
The park is home to the Discovery Park super-playground, and it boasts eight tennis courts, four athletic fields and a huge picnic shelter that can accommodate up to 300 people.
"It is really one of the nicer parks, and I don't think a lot of people know where Southside is," she said.
"Between the new playground and the water park, I think people will want to come here. And they should. My nieces and nephews love the playground. I think the water park will be a great place for church groups and scout troops."
Staff writer April M. Silvaggio can be reached at 298-4801.
Cutlines:
OWEN RILEY JR./Staff
Out with the old: Workers from McCalls Construction demolish on Tuesday the old Southside Park pool, where a new water park will be built.
Dan Rodgerson mug
SUZIE RIDDLE / Staff
Location of water park
Linked in Profile Dan Rodgerson
Website Dan Rodgerson
Lonely Planet Profile
Dan Rodgerson Resume
Exploroo Profile
Dan Rodgerson Certs and special skills
Daniel Rodgerson Social Bookmark
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