As work continues on the water quality improvement project in McPherson Park, the park and most of its amenities, including the shelter, playground and bandstand will remain open to the public; however, the tennis courts and parking lot will be closed to the public beginning Tuesday, September 4. During this time, parking will only be available in the small surface lot across the street from the Sears Recreation Center.
This stormwater project is part of the Richland Creek Water Quality Improvement Master Plan and is funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under a Section 319 grant through the S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control. The project includes work both in the stream and throughout the park. To-date, rubble and debris have been removed from the stream and the streambank is being stabilized with structures and pools to prevent erosion. Native vegetation will also be planted along the streambank.
The tennis court and parking lot closures are necessary so that concrete swales and pipes around the tennis courts can be removed and the existing asphalt parking lot can be demolished. A bioswale with native plantings will be installed to replace the concrete and pipes and the parking lot will be replaced with a new pervious surface to help capture and filter stormwater runoff.
Weather permitting, the project should be substantially complete by the end of September, with final plantings to take place in November. Installation of a new miniature golf course is also planned for later this year.
