Lexington - Gibson Pond Park Update

[emerging.me]

From The State...

New Lexington mayor proposes simpler park

By TIM FLACH

Staff Writer

Lexington Mayor-elect Randy Halfacre wants a much simpler park on Gibson Pond.

He is seeking to drop an envisioned pavilion and outdoor swimming area, features intended to make the new park a regional instead of local attraction.

Those changes reduce the $3.5 million project cost by 60 percent, lessening the need for reliance on a local meal tax, which Halfacre has said he wants to end.

The less elaborate park is among the changes coming as Halfacre prepares to take over as leader of the rapidly growing Midlands suburb Dec. 6.

[emerging.me]

I am *all for* more quality public space, but I think he's got a point. Public outdoor swimming in places like that hasn't been popular since the late 70s. And if it will cut the costs by 60% that'd be great. Lexington is kind of getting ahead of itself if you ask me. I mean... A performing arts venue?!?

Regarding Gibson Pond... They'd have plenty of visitors if they just opened up the place to public fishing and kept it stocked.

[ResearchMan]

Exactly my view. Build a swimming hole and someone will spill

chemicals in it like with Tin Products. All those plants have had

all those leaks just down the street. I mean those creeks and

ponds have just now come back for swimming. Didn't they lost

an ENTIRE water treatment plant from that one company's spill?

This brings up a crazy idea I've had. I think some foreign group

(maybe Democrats) has taken over the County of Lexington. It

used to be so frugal and cheap and anti-social. Now they are

exploring big expensive parks, higher taxes on eating out,

they spend to have good schools and even good libraries now.

I mean what politician has EVER been re-elected over there

after being for anything except lower taxes. They even

collect hotel taxes for the convention center over in Columbia

after we went and stole Columbiana Center from them.

What happened to all the zealots over there. The citizens

were like the crazy folks next door...and they are SO

mainstream now. It's like they've gone soft!

[The_sandlapper]

^I think it's all the northern newcomers there now.

Lexington is to Columbia what Rock Hill is to Charlotte.

Lexingtonians are finally getting a piece of the pie.

[emerging.me]

Lexington is to Columbia what Rock Hill is to Charlotte.

Lexingtonians are finally getting a piece of the pie.

Interesting observation. I used to think Newberry was sort of that, but actually it's too far out and is much more like what Fort Mill is to Charlotte.

[The_sandlapper]

I think Newberry will be Columbia's bedroom community in about twenty years or so that's if Newberry develops down I-26.

[ResearchMan]

You never know. I love it out that way..but so much has flipped to the east side

with the I-77 corridor, Lake Carolina, Blythewood, and the area out past Blue

Cross. I hope Newberry stays underdeveloped. But Irmo has become so congested

you may be right. I keep thinking there is too much development happening

around Columbia to support all this growth. If Jackson gets downsized we will have

major market glut. Blue Cross, CSC have pulled so many Irmese to the

east side of town...just wondering how the momentum will keep up.

I'll look at projections Friday if I get a chance to see what is emerging.

It seems like development is going all out in Lexington, Irmo, Lake Carolina,

and now downtown. How can we support it all?

[Spartan]

well atlanta did, why cant we?

With regards to Newberry- I think it could easily develop out that way. They need to go ahead and widen 26 to 6 lanes to Newberry- ideally to Clinton though.

[ResearchMan]

Spartan, yep that would be great..especially if you travel that way

much. Widening is really needed out past Irmo. I often go up to

Clinton on the way to Greenwood. At least to Newberry they should

widen because there are so many bottle necks with 2 lanes. And

everybody is going like 20 mph above the posted limit.

[The_sandlapper]

One good thing about Columbia is that the city has great access. It already has three major interstates intersecting and a beltway. So it should be able to handle all of its substantial future growth. That however doesn't ring true for Lexington. They are still in denial and think they are a "small town". Traffic there is ridicuols between the hours of 3-6, at least when I was there last for a city of what is it now, 12,000?

But I guess that's the story all over the "new south" nowadays.

And you guys are right I definately think they need to begin widening I-26 from just north of Harbison to Newberry, I-20 Killian Road to Camden, I-77 as well before its too late and they begin to look like present day I-40 in Durham, construction causing traffic for miles becasue of insufficient planning. They've been widening I-40 in Durham eversince the mid 90's.

[ResearchMan]

Your right. Lexngton is a mess now and it will get worse. If I get a chance I'll try to

sum up and post traffic counts for the highway access into Columbia and Lexington.

[Spartan]

Spartan, yep that would be great..especially if you travel that way

much.  Widening is really needed out past Irmo. I often go up to

Clinton on the way to Greenwood. At least to Newberry they should

widen because there are so many bottle necks with 2 lanes. And

everybody is going like 20 mph above the posted limit.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And I do. I go home on a regular basis, and thats really the bast way to get to Spartanburg. I don't like the alternate back routes that much.

I also think that they should widen all of 26 from irmo through the Cayce/Springdale area to 8 lanes all the way through. However, if nothing else they need to suck it up and just re-do Malfunction Junction. What a horrible mess. I have so many problems with this arrangement. I think that an interstate trough a city should maintain the original two or three lanes all the way through the area, so that a traveller doesnt have to be confused about changing lanes or getting sent off in the wrong place. 26 west has its lanes going off to florence or augusta or some such nonsense, plus you have to merge with the 126 traffic which is already bad enough since most people squeeze through in the left two lanes and create a large bottle neck there. I realize this project would likely outscale the 385 upgrade in Greenville in terms of everything, however I think if they would do it now and make that damn intersection work- that it would be a great asset to the future growth in the irmo area.

One good thing about Columbia is that the city has great access. It already has three major interstates intersecting and a beltway. So it should be able to handle all of its substantial future growth. That however doesn't ring true for Lexington. They are still in denial and think they are a "small town". Traffic there is ridicuols between the hours of 3-6, at least when I was there last for a city of what is it now, 12,000?

But I guess that's the story all over the "new south" nowadays.

And you guys are right I definately think they need to begin widening I-26 from just north of Harbison to Newberry, I-20 Killian Road to Camden, I-77 as well before its too late and they begin to look like present day I-40 in Durham, construction causing traffic for miles becasue of insufficient planning. They've been widening I-40 in Durham eversince the mid 90's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is a major problem. I recently posted an article about Boiling Springs in the Spartanburg area that has a road which carries about twice its capactiy. I remember as a child how that area was an easy drive, and a laid back place. But now its so backed up that I really don't like it, and I make a point to take alternate routes when I'm in the area. Growth has its pros and cons I suppose.