County to Celebrate New Dolly Cooper Park Playground

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County will officially celebrate the completion of the new community playground at Dolly Cooper Park Monday at 10 a.m.

“This is just one more step in our role in completing the development of Dolly Cooper Park,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns.

The new playground includes not only a place for kids of all ages, and is accessible to all.

Over the past decade the 40-acre park near Powdersville along the Saluda River has been transformed from a largely overgrown property into the largest park in the county. The effort was made possible by the cooperation between state and local officials, providing $500,000 for the project, with additional $100,000 from Duke Energy and a $35,000 grant from the South Carolina Parks and Recreation Development program.

It is the fourth improvement of the area, as part of a master plan developed in cooperation with Studio Main. The first was a ADA kayak launch, which for more than a decade has hosted the annual Saluda River Rally the first Saturday in June, attracting kayakers from up and down the East Coast.

Other popular improvements include a football field for use by are youth teams, a competitive disc golf course, a softball/baseball field and an assessible walking path along the river.

Future plans include picnic shelters, pickleball courts, a dog park and additional athletic fields.

In a news release, Anderson County Councilman Jimmy Davis, who represents the district which includes Dolly Cooper Park, wrote:

“I am so very happy to see this day arrive! We’ve worked hand-in-hand with the community over the years to fully develop Dolly Cooper Park into the kind of facility that can fully meet the recreational and athletic needs of our citizens, and today we are proud to celebrate yet another important milestone. This is something the people of Powdersville can be truly proud of.”