The City of Greenville has received a $100,000 grant from Greenville Women Giving for a river restoration project within the Unity Park site.
Over the past 13 years, Greenville Women Giving has invested more than $6 million in Greenville County non-profit organizations and projects that have positively impacted the community in five key areas: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, Health and Human Services.
The Reedy River bisects the future 60-acre Unity Park and features prominently in park plans. Today, the conditions of the Reedy in this area—straight and narrow with tall, vertical river banks—are the product of an Army Corps of Engineering river straightening project that occurred well over 50 years ago. These conditions restrict the river’s capacity during extreme rain events and render the area prone to flash flooding which negatively impacts nearby residents.
The city will use the funds from Greenville Women Giving for a project to restore the 2,163 linear feet of Reedy River within Unity Park’s boundaries. The project scope includes excavating and widening the Reedy’s banks to create a more naturalized river condition, which will help increase the area’s capacity to hold stormwater. The project will also address two other community-identified needs—more river access and ample open space.
As an added benefit, the park’s proximity to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and community partners like the Kroc Center and AJ Whittenberg Elementary School will provide opportunities to increase awareness of the value of the river ecosystem and the importance of protecting the Reedy River. The river restoration project is included in phase one of the Unity Park development plan and work is expected to begin in late 2019.
Visit www.greenvillewomengiving.org for additional information.