Running through Greenville is the Reedy River, which cascades into a picturesque waterfall in the heart of downtown. For decades, the river was a neglected afterthought: in the city’s textile days, it was nicknamed “Rainbow Reedy” for the fabric dyes that washed downstream and contaminated the water. And in 1960, the Camperdown Way Bridge—a four-lane highway overpass—was built across the river, obstructing views of the falls and public access to the water.
In the 1980s, as other parts of the city’s renaissance began to take hold, local leaders recognized the river’s potential as a community gathering space. The city worked with the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to evaluate and eventually demolish the Camperdown Way Bridge. In its place, the City planned an ambitious riverfront park and pedestrian bridge. Through a combination of support by the Carolina Foothills Garden Club, individual donations, corporate pledges, and the city’s hospitality tax, Greenville renovated the riverfront park and built Liberty Bridge in 2004, a stunning walkway across the falls that is now a Greenville landmark. The $13.5 million project has already spurred millions of dollars of investment in riverfront hotels, housing, offices, and retail space.
“There was a period in Greenville’s history when people didn’t believe in downtown, and didn’t see why it was important to make it successful. The park is a great example—many people were fixated on the fact that we were taking down the highway bridge. What we had to do was change the discussion of removing a bridge, to highlight the creation of a beautiful park. We showed people what it will look like, and got people excited about it. And in the year and half after it opened, the park attracted over $100 million in private investment,” Mayor White elaborated .
As the five leadership teams explore the city of water and trees next week, be sure to follow the action on Twitter using the hashtag #AmazingPlaceForum.