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County says Star Park, rail-trail connection moving forward with grants, in-kind county work
Summary
Edgefield County and the town of Edgefield reported grants and county contributions toward Star Park and a rail-trail connection, with about $1 million available now and a multiyear construction plan; lighting and an elevated wetland crossing are key cost considerations.
Edgefield County staff updated the planning commission on plans for Star Park and an associated extension of the town’s rail trail, saying the project is a partnership between the county and the town of Edgefield. Staff said the town owns the rail-trail corridor and the county is leading the park development, with the county offering in-kind labor such as tree clearing and some paving.
Staff reported that the mayor obtained the last parcel needed to make the final trail connection and that the town and county have received grant awards for the trail and park. “We have roughly half a million dollars of it already, through state grant and appropriation. With that, plus the appropriation from the state, plus what we already had set aside for the new park, we're sitting at just around a million dollars,” staff said. The funding is expected to make substantial progress but not finish the park; staff said the project will be multiyear and additional grants may be needed.
Officials said the county has an agreement with Edgefield County Water and Sewer Authority to provide water for a splash pad without recirculation, which reduces equipment and maintenance costs. Staff estimated grading and infrastructure work will take about five months. Lighting for ball fields, they warned, is a major cost driver: “Ball field lighting is obscenely expensive, like quarter million dollars for one field,” staff said.
The trail extension follows an old rail bed; most of the new trail consists of clearing and paving the existing corridor. Where a wetland lies in the alignment, staff said an elevated footbridge will be required to avoid wetland disturbance and avoid lengthy permitting (endangered-species surveys, delineation). The planned trail will, when complete, make the system about two miles long in total, staff said.
Staff said the county will assist with clearing and expects town crews to begin trail work; the park and trail work will be scheduled in phases depending on funding and in-house capacity.
