Presentation: State of the city 

Greenville City Manager Shannon Lavrin delivered the third annual “state of the city” address, highlighting Greenville’s continued growth. The presentation provided a recap of the work completed by the city in fiscal year 2025. Lavrin also highlighted key initiatives and projects that will be focused on during the upcoming fiscal year. 

The city has made significant progress on planning the multi-million-dollar renovation of Greenville City Hall. Lavrin said replacing the existing building would cost two to three times more than the planned renovation. Preliminary design plans for the project will go before the city’s Design Review Board on June 18. 

Plans were also announced in March for creating a downtown conference center as part of the Falls Park Conference District. More than $500 million in public and private investment is planned to transform more than six acres east of Falls Park into a new mixed-use district. Lavrin said the project will require substantial investment of time throughout the next year. 

The Greenville Police Department plans to launch a real-time crime center this year. This will provide a centralized, technology-driven hub for the department at the Public Safety Campus and Municipal Complex on Halton Road. Lavrin said the center will serve as mission control for public safety, providing officers with real-time data and support for more coordinated decision-making. 

Creating more parking in Greenville’s West End remains a priority for city leaders. In 2025, the city entered into a development agreement with RocaPoint Partners, the developer creating the $1 billion County Square project, for a new public parking garage on Howe Street. Lavrin said construction on the 400-space parking garage is slated to begin any day now. 

Progress has been made on designing the city’s new wheelsports park next to the Greenville Downtown Airport. The new park will consist of a bicycle playground, a pump track and a skate park. The city plans to look for a construction manager for the project this summer. Lavrin said the goal is to finalize the project’s design plans this year and start construction in early 2027. 

Several projects relating to the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail are also moving forward. Construction of the $4.7 million pedestrian bridge over Verdae Boulevard is expected to be completed by early fall. This project will allow for the trail to be extended to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. Lavrin said Greenville County has promised to have the trail paved upon completion of the bridge. 

“We hope that we have the Swamp Rabbit Trail extension completed by the end of this year,” Lavrin said. “The bridge is expected to be completed no later than October.” 

Additional trail projects that the city will focus on include:

• Airport Loop Trail: Five miles around the Greenville Downtown Airport
• Swamp Rabbit Trail rehabilitation: One mile between River Street and Unity Park
• Halton Road Shared Use Path: Three miles extending off the Swamp Rabbit Trail Green Line
• Zoo Trail: One mile between the Greenville Zoo and downtown Greenville
• West Village Connector: One mile connecting Unity Park and West Greenville

City staff will continue to work on upgrading the community centers in Viola and West Greenville. Construction of the new Viola Community Center is underway and expected to be finished by the end of 2026. Lavrin said the design vision for the West Greenville Community Center is also anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. 

Other key initiatives the city plans to work on in the next fiscal year include:

• Selecting a land planner for the city-owned property in Haynie-Sirrine, with construction aimed to begin in 2027 
• Creating infrastructure plans for the Greenline-Spartanburg neighborhood
• Potentially launching a pilot modular housing initiative to help with affordable housing
• Collaborating with a private developer on a missing middle housing pilot project
• Completing the city’s first Urban Forest Comprehensive Plan
• Improving the infrastructure, appearance and functionality of Court Street
• Transforming the alleyways in front of the Greenville City Design Center and at One City Plaza. 

Approved: State accommodations tax funding designations

City Council approved designating $2.4 million from the state accommodations tax fund to provide financial assistance for events and projects that promote tourism within the city. The events and projects receiving the funding were selected by the city’s Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee.

VisitGreenvilleSC will receive the largest total award amount of $1.6 million in state ATAX funding. The funding will be used to increase overnight visitation in Greenville and to support the organization’s tourism program for fiscal year 2026-27. 

The Metropolitan Arts Council was also awarded $300,000 to market and promote the arts community in Greenville. Other entities that received funding include Artisphere, Falls for Greenville, South Carolina New Play Festival, the South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Upcountry History Museum, the Children’s Museum of the Upstate and more. 

Approved: $2M for public space upgrades, safety improvements

The city received $20 million in earmarked funding from the South Carolina General Assembly in fiscal year 2023-24. The funding went towards a specific list of public space upgrades and safety improvement projects. 

City Council gave initial approval to appropriate $2 million in additional funding to four capital projects. This will reimburse the city funding previously set aside for these projects with additional state-earmarked funds. 

The funded projects include:

• $541,349 to the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project
• $357,992 to the Cultural Corridor project
• $575,778 to the Stone Avenue Corridor project
• $598,594 to the Augusta Street utility undergrounding project

Approved: $241K for Hudson Street and Townes Street projects

City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to appropriate $241,976 to improvement projects on South Hudson Street and Townes Street. The funding comes from the city’s previous sale of right-of-way and temporary easements to the South Carolina Department of Transportation for the bridge replacement project on Hudson Street. 

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department will use $45,000 to complete landscaping work on the right-of-way area affected by the bridge replacement on South Hudson Street. The remaining $196,976 will be used by the city’s Engineering Department to complete a road diet and improvements on Townes Street between West Elford Street and West Park Avenue. 

Approved: Annexation applications

City Council gave final approval to four annexation requests, including an application for two land parcels consisting of 7.56 acres off Conestee Road and Spanco Drive. Park District (PK) zoning will be applied to the parcel on the north side of the Reedy River, owned by the Conestee Nature Preserve. 

Lake Conestee Dam Restoration Project owns the second land parcel, which encompasses the newly constructed Conestee Dam. The portion of the parcel containing the dam will be zone PK. The other section, located south of the Reedy River next to the historic Conestee Mill, will be rezoned Mixed-Use 3. 

The other approved annexation applications include:

• 7 acres of open space on Grove Road and West Faris Road, with the proposed city zoning of PK
• 0.78 acres of land at 201 Edwards Road, with the proposed city zoning of Residential House B District (RH-B)
• 0.31 acres of land at 116 Otis St., with the proposed city zoning Residential House D District (RH-D) in the Greater Sullivan Neighborhood Revitalization Overlay District

Additional items

• City Council approved a resolution to amend the city’s procurement procedures. The amendment will increase the limits for acquisition and procurement methods from $2,500 to $5,000.
• City Council gave final approval to rezone an approximately 0.24-acre property on Pine Street from RH-D to Residential Neighborhood A District (RN-A)

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The 39th celebration featured refreshments and activities designed to celebrate survivors and share resources. Among the activities and features were reiki, yoga, fly fishing lessons, therapy dogs, survivor ribbons and children’s princess visits.

Photos provided by Sliced Tomato Productions via Cancer Survivors Park.

Read more about the Cancer Survivors Park

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Long-awaited upgrades are being made to one of the branch’s youth sports fields and the parking lot over the summer. YMCA staff, board members, donors and community supporters celebrated the start of renovations at a groundbreaking ceremony on June 8. The Caine Halter Family YMCA is located at 721 Cleveland St. in Greenville. 

The facility’s youth sports fields sit at the lowest elevation on the 26-acre campus, often becoming waterlogged from stormwater runoff after heavy rain. Jaime Johnson, executive director of the Caine Halter Family YMCA, said water can sit on the fields for up to two weeks, resulting in canceled practices and postponed games. 

The renovation project will solve this problem by raising the sports fields, creating an underground stormwater retention pond and adding new artificial turf. This will ensure the field can be used year-round. The parking lot will also be extended next to the sports field, creating 110 additional parking spaces for families and spectators. 

With the field upgrades, it will also be able to serve more children through its youth sports program. Sam Franklin, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greenville, said the nonprofit organization has doubled the size of its youth sports programming since 2017. Approximately 13,000 children were served in the YMCA’s youth sports program in the past year, with ongoing waitlists.

“Since COVID, we’ve had 200 plus kids on the waitlist for spring and fall soccer, probably another 100 in flag football,” Franklin said. “It was because of the field, we just didn’t have the space.”

The enhanced sports field will allow for six new youth soccer teams for the age group with the greatest demand: children ages three to seven. More than 120 additional boys and girls will be able to participate in the branch’s sports programming. Johnson said the improvements would also allow the branch to potentially add new adult sports programs. 

The youth sports field and parking lot renovations represent the latest project of the Caine Halter Family YMCA’s $8.5 million “Building a Brighter Tomorrow” capital campaign. The public phase of the capital campaign kicked off in October 2023. Since then, the campaign has raised $6.7 million and supported several other improvement projects at the 66-year-old branch, including:

• Installing a retractable enclosure system over the branch’s outdoor pool
• Renovating the branch’s original gymnasium 
• Upgrading the branch’s tennis center to add three pickleball courts

Field 1 will be closed over the next few months while renovations are underway. The branch’s three remaining fields will still be accessible. According to the YMCA, a portion of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail behind the sports field will be temporarily closed in mid-June for the project. Renovations are expected to be completed in August. 

The final phase of the “Building a Brighter Tomorrow” capital campaign will be installing a new community pavilion next to the youth sports field. The pavilion would feature restrooms, gathering space, a picnic area and storage. Franklin said they also hope to raise more funding down the road to re-turf the other three youth sports fields. 

For more information, visit ymcagreenville.org/caine-halter-capital-campaign. 

History and Facts

The YMCA of Greenville was founded in 1876 in downtown Greenville. The Caine Halter Family YMCA, previously the Cleveland Street YMCA, was constructed in 1960. Today, the YMCA of Greenville serves more than 85,000 people across its branches and programs.

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The event, which features both a celebrity tournament and a Korn Ferry Tour event, is held annually and benefits Upstate nonprofits. Since 2001, the event has contributed more than $17 million to local charities.

Kohles shot an even-par final round to finish 15-under, good for a four-stroke victory over Logan McAllister. It was his fifth Korn Ferry Tour win and his first this year. The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental circuit for the PGA Tour.

Greenville native William Jennings, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, finished 12th and earned a spot in the next Korn Ferry Tour event – the OccuNet Classic June 11-14 in Amarillo, Texas. Jennings, who plays for Alabama, also finished second in the NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship on June 1.

The BMW Charity Pro-Am is presented by TD Synnex. This year’s celebrity lineup included movie star Bill Murray, U.S. and Furman soccer legend Clint Dempsey, and many more. The event will again be a stop on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2027.

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For updated information about your voter registration status, check your polling location or view a sample ballot, visit scvotes.gov.

Locally, four Greenville County Council seats have contested primaries. Several other candidates are uncontested in the primary.

District 17*

Candidate: Joe Dill

Party: Republican

Job: Bailiff at Circuit Court and Minister of Music

Years on council: 24

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Protecting farmland from being turned into subdivisions. Preserving our natural resources. Bringing public safety up to a standard that makes it competitive with others in South Carolina.

Any ordinances that allow builders to develop land that require taxpayers to foot the bill for the infrastructure improvements needed, for those subdivisions.

Candidate: John Ehlers

Party: Republican

Job: Master electrician

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Slow down development in District 17. Lower property taxes and abolish property tax on homestead for retirees.

Candidate: Travis Forrester

Party: Republican

Job: School safety and security

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? If elected, my focus will be protecting the character of our communities while ensuring Greenville County grows responsibly. I will fight to improve infrastructure before approving large-scale development, protect taxpayers from unnecessary tax increases, and support public safety across our county. My career has been built on service and accountability, and I will bring that same mindset to County Council. I believe government should listen to the people, respect property rights, and make decisions that strengthen families, neighborhoods, and the future of Greenville County.

Candidate: James Hoard

Party: Republican

Job: Structural steel detailer

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I plan to be a fiscal hawk. Preserving rural communities begins with fiscal discipline and keeping taxes low. Greenville County residents are taxed enough already; I will not vote for any new or increase in taxes. We must use the resources we have to once and for all fix roads and we must tackle the issue of development. We must tackle the lack of zoning in District 17. We need to use all the tools in our tool belt. We must continue to protect our future generations from pornography in county libraries. We must protect families.

District 23

Challenger: Angela Aiken

Party: Democrat

Job: Healthcare professional

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? If elected, my first priority is pushing County Council to adopt a coordinated affordable housing strategy, one that puts underutilized land, existing state/federal funding tools and community stakeholders at the center. Greenville County already has the ingredients. What’s missing is the will to pull them together. I will work to ensure that every housing dollar invested in this county builds wealth for long-time residents rather than displacing them. Affordable housing is not a talking point for me. It is something I have fought for from the ground up, and I will keep fighting for it from the inside.

Incumbent: Alan Mitchell

Party: Democrat

Job: Architecture

Years on c0uncil: 3; (I am in my 4th year of my 1st term)

What are you planning to work on in your next term? I plan to continue to work on affordable housing securities and transportation options. I will also continue to provide necessary services to my constituents. As for change, I will continue to work on improving how governmental and private entities cooperate on getting projects completed for the betterment of the citizens of Greenville County.

Challenger: David C. Mitchell

Party: Democrat

Job: Human resources

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Developing affordable, accessible and attainable housing for low- to moderate-income families, by sustaining legacy minority communities that have been decimated by gentrification and taxation policies, which have displaced low- and moderate- income families by excessive taxation and home loss due to county tax policies.

Building and supporting an effective Transit Development Plan that creates a reliable public GTA/Greenlink transportation system that has dedicated funding sources to support green technology, on-time performance and modern equipment that facilitates a state-of-the-art bus transportation system

Council representation that focuses on smart growth and infrastructure that keeps pace with rapid growth and development.

District 26

Incumbent: Rick Bradley

Party: Republican

Job: President of R D Bradley Co.

Years on council: In my fourth year

What are you planning to work on in your next term? The Greenville County Comprehension Plan is one of the issues I will continue to focus on. The Comprehension Plan tells us where growth can be. The zoning ordinances tell us what can be built and the Land Development Regulates (LDRs) tell us how it can be built. Right now, they are not in alignment with one another. I have already started this process to align them. The result will make is much easier to manage our overwhelming growth and infrastructure problems here in District 26 as well as in the rest of Greenville County.

Challenger: Daniel Rumfelt

Party: Republican

Job: Manufacturing

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? With the primary coming my way, I pledge to improve the land development regulations in order to ensure sustainable development of Greenville County that is in sync with our infrastructure needs. At present, growth exceeds the capacity of roads, drainage systems, and public safety and people suffer as a result of this mismanagement. My efforts would be towards updating the land codes in our county, directing growth to areas which can accommodate it and ensuring proper planning of large projects. I would also like to create a conservation district in South Greenville to preserve rural living for generations to come.

District 28*

Candidate: Allen Kellett

Party: Republican

Job: Farmer and businessman

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I want to bring fiscal responsibility to the council and transparency for the public. The major issue I will be working on is finding funds in the current budget to allocate to our road and bridge problems.

Candidate: Kyle Long

Party: Republican

Job: Pilot Lt Col USAF ret.

Years on council: 0

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I am going to get the roads fixed without raising taxes. The current council budget was able to increase road repair spending four times more than had ever been spent in the past. I plan on making our infrastructure a priority while limiting the overgrowth. I will have good communication with my constituents and involve them in proposals that come before county council. I will be on every board I can be on to understand where our money is being spent while fixing inefficiencies. I will use discernment to understand the ramifications of every proposal.

*Incumbents Joey Russo (District 17) and Dan Tripp (District 28) are not running for reelection.

Uncontested county races

The uncontested Greenville County primary races include Chadwicke L. Groover (Republican) for probate judge; Scott Case (Republican) for auditor; Allen Hodges for county treasurer; Benton Blount (Republican) and Cody Dean (Democrat) for County Council District 19; and Thomas Sanders (Democrat) for County Council District 28.

Throughout Greenville County, eight Senate and 16 House seats are on the general election ballot with 11 contested races. S.C. Senate candidates Rex F. Rice (R-District 2), Tom Corbin (R-District 5), Jason Elliott (R-District 6), Karl B. Allen (D-District 7), and Shane Martin (R-District 13), and S.C. House candidates Neal Collins (R-District 5), Thomas Beach (R-District 10), Mark N. Willis (R-District 16), Mike Burns (R-District 17), Alan Morgan (R-District 18), Patrick Haddon (R-District 19), Bobby J. Cox (R-District 21) and Bill Chumley (R-District 35) are running unopposed.

***

Here are the other contested candidates on the ballot:

Governor

Republican

• Jacqueline Hicks DuBose
• Pamela Evette
• Joshua Kimbrell
• Nancy Mace
• Ralph W. Norman
• Rom Reddy
• Alan Wilson

Democrat

• Jermaine Johnson
• Mullins McLeod
• Billy Webster

***

Secretary of State

Democrat

• Jason Belton
• Edwina Winter

***

State Treasurer

Democrat

• Vincent Coe
• Trave Robertson Jr.

***

State Attorney General

Republican

• Stephen Goldfinch
• David M. Pascoe
• David Stumbo

***

State Comptroller General

Democrat

• Tiffany Boozer
• Bruce K. Cole

***

State Superintendent of Education

Democrat

• Lisa Ellis
• Sylvia Wright

***

State Commissioner of Agriculture

Republican

• Jeremy B. Cannon
• Danny Ford
• Cody Simpson
• Fred West

***

U.S. Senate

Republican

• Calvin Cowen
• Thomas Keith Dismukes
• Lindsey Graham
• Pat Herrmann
• Mark Lynch
• Darius L. Mitchell

Democrat

• Annie Andrews
• Brandon P. Brown
• Kyle Freeman

***

U.S. House

District 3

Democrat

• Eunice Lehmacher
• Ernest E. Mackins

District 4

Republican

• David Atchley
• Robert E. Lee
• William Timmons

***

State House

District 5

Republican

• Neal Collins
• Brandy Tarleton

Democrat

• David F. Jones

District 10

Republican

• Thomas Beach
• Stewart Watson

Democrat

• Thomas Stewart

District 21

Republican

• Heather Currie
• Dianne Mitchell

District 22

• Randolph Chuck Rhode Jr.
• Paul Wickensimer

District 24

Democrat

• Caroline Avinger
• Justin Sanders

District 25

Democrat

• Wendell Jones
• Derrick L. Quarles

***

While many races have contested primaries, multiple candidates are running unopposed for their party’s nomination.

Candidates in uncontested statewide primary races include: Michael A. Addison (United Citizens), Walid N. Hakim (Green) and Gary M. Votour (Workers) for governor; Mark Hammond (Republican) for secretary of state; Curtis Loftis (Republican) for state treasurer; Richard Hricik (Democrat) for attorney general; Mike Burkhold (Republican) for comptroller general; Baba Amin Ojuok (United Citizens) and Ellen Weaver (Republican) for state superintendent of education; DeShawn Blanding (Democrat), Chris Nelums (United Citizens) and Michael Sullens (Libertarian) for commissioner of agriculture; and Jason Elliot Brenkus (Libertarian), Mark Hackett (Constitution) and Kasie Whitener (Libertarian) for U.S. Senate.

The uncontested primary races for Upstate representatives include Sheri Biggs (Republican) and Brian Corriea (Libertarian) for U.S. House District 3; Jessica Ethridge (Libertarian) and Courtney McClain (Democrat) for U.S. House District 4; Lynn Ramirez (Democrat) and Mark N. Willis (Republican) for State House District 16; Mike Burns (Republican) and Rich Nicoloff (Democrat) for State House District 17; Virginia B. Maclure (Democrat) and Alan Morgan (Republican) for State House District 18; Patrick B. Haddon (Republican) and Rachel Smith (Democrat) for State House District 19; Polly Elbertse (Democrat) and Stephen D. Frank (Republican) for State House District 20; Dexter Reaves (Democrat) for State House District 21; Josh Kendrick (Democrat) for State House District 22; Chandra Dillard (Democrat) for State House District 23; and Bruce Bannister (Republican) for State House District 24.

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The two educational institutions signed an agreement on June 4, allowing the school district to use welding space at the college’s Brashier Campus in Simpsonville. The space formerly housed Greenville Tech’s welding program. It will be used by the school district’s Golden Strip Career Center starting the 2026-27 school year. 

High school students will be able to complete two years of welding classes on the Brashier Campus with access to hands-on class activities at Greenville Tech’s new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence. The college’s welding program will move into the new 44,000-square-foot facility in August. 

“By partnering with the district to use our former welding space, we expand access to welding education and give students a seamless way to follow pathways that advance their professional credentials and earnings,” said Larry Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. 

An average of 300 students apply for the school district’s welding program each year. GCS currently has 100 welding booths across its four career centers. Greenville Tech’s former welding space will provide 120 additional booths, plus the 300 booths created by the new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence. 

This partnership represents a 350% increase in the school district’s welding program capacity to help address the ongoing workforce shortage of welding technicians. According to GCS, there are currently 400,000 welding job openings nationwide. 

“By expanding access to welding education at a time when skilled trades are critically important to our economy, we are creating more opportunities for students to graduate with valuable industry credentials, college credit and clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers,” said Superintendent Burke Royster. 

In April, GCS Board of Trustees authorized the transfer of $455,000 from the district’s general fund for one-time facility upgrades and five-year operating costs to use Greenville Tech’s welding space. The board also authorized the lease agreement for the space at its regular meeting on May 26.

Students in 10th through 12th grade at any of the district’s 15 high schools are eligible to take the new welding course at Greenville Tech’s Brashier Campus. One morning and one afternoon course will be available, serving 20 students in each session.  

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Students

Caden Johnston

Travelers Rest High

Javelin and Discus State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Julia Thompson

Travelers Rest High

Javelin State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Alex Munguia

Blue Ridge High

4A Track State Champion – 100M and 200M

South Carolina High School League

Nathan Purica

Riverside High

5A Tennis State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Teams

Blue Ridge High

4A Boys Golf State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Eastside High

5A Division 2 Boys Soccer State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Greenville Sr. High Academy

5A Division 2 Boys Golf State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Southside High

3A Boys Soccer State Champion

South Carolina High School League

Related: Class of 2026 graduation photos

Staff

Robby Bell

Fountain Inn High

Region Athletic Director of the Year

SC Athletic Administrators Association

Sarah Evanson-Atkinson

Dr. Randy Wall Distinguished Service Award

SC Association for Middle Level Education

Jim Kilgus

Mauldin Middle

Distinguished Service Award

SC Band Directors Association

Christine Plumier

Sevier Middle

Innovation in Practice Award

SC Association for Middle Level Education

Todd Prochaska

J.L. Mann High Academy

Travis Perry Braveheart Award

SC Athletic Administrators Association

Marci Silver

Beck International Academy

State Spirit Award

Best Buddies International

Kory Stelling

Berea High

SC Driver Education Teacher of the Year

SC Driver Teacher Safety Education Association

Mike Wilson

Donaldson Career Center

Lifetime Service to Wrestling

SC Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

Schools

Beck International Academy

Overall Top Fundraising School Chapter in the Nation

Best Buddies International

Blue Ridge High

Palmetto’s Finest School

SC Association of School Administrators

Chandler Creek Elementary

National Showcase School

Capturing Kids’ Hearts

Lake Forest Elementary

National Beta Club John W. Harris Leadership Award

Beta Club

League Academy

Redesignation as a National School to Watch

Mauldin Middle

2024-2026 National PTA School of Excellence

National PTA

National School to Watch

Sevier Middle

Redesignation as a National School to Watch

Stone Academy PTA

PTA Program of Impact Award

SCPTA

Taylors Elementary

Recertified Leader in Me Lighthouse School

Woodland Elementary

Leader In Me Legacy Award

Leader In Me

The post June 2026 Class Acts for Greenville County Schools appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The bridge will be closed for the rehabilitation project starting June 15. A detour route has been established, directing traffic onto Interstate 385.

Only local traffic will be allowed on East Butler Road. SCDOT advises motorists to go slow, pay attention to signs and be mindful of work crews when driving through the area. 

The East Butler Road bridge is expected to reopen by Aug. 6, weather permitting. 

For more information, visit projectportal.scdot.org/S-23-107overI385. 

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The planning document will outline strategies for enhancing the public transit system’s services over the next five years. Greenlink’s current Transit Development Plan was adopted in 2018 and updated in 2021. 

“The transit development plan is our roadmap,” said Katerina Moreland, transit finance and compliance administrator for Greenlink. “It defines our goals, objectives and our next steps as we look to continue to improve our system across all of the greater Greenville area.”

Greenlink kicked off the planning process at the beginning of the year with consultants from Montreal-based engineering firm WSP. Initial public input was collected from a community survey and a 70-person focus group. 

Potential bus route improvements have been identified in five areas within Greenlink’s transit network, based on collected community input and data analysis. The proposed changes were presented at six public meetings held June 1-3. Community members are invited to complete an online survey to provide additional feedback on the recommendations. 

Bus improvement areas

Changes have been proposed to Greenlink’s bus routes serving the Woodruff Road and Mauldin areas. A new route is recommended to provide public transportation to Bridgeway Station and the new GE Vernova Park in Mauldin. Greenlink is also exploring extending service coverage further down Woodruff Road with a new route to reach the Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and Publix. 

“We want to get people to places where they work, go to school, get food or access healthcare,” said Andrea Gray, public engagement manager for Greenlink. “We’re trying to make sure people can get around our city in a very efficient way.”

Another proposed improvement would be extending Route 509: Haywood along Pelham Road to the Walmart Supercenter in Greenlink’s East Greenville service area. The public transit system is also considering updating Route 505: Rutherford to provide more services along Pleasantburg Drive and extend to the Greenville State Farmers Market. 

Read more Greenlink news

One of Greenlink’s loop routes, Route 506: Woodside, is recommended to be split into two routes to provide more efficient service to Berea. Transit users would be able to ride the bus on either the Cedar Lane Road or Old Buncombe Road routes from downtown Greenville to Food Lion in Berea. The proposed route along Old Buncombe Road would also provide service coverage to Heritage Green on College Street.

Greenlink has proposed extending Route 503: Poinsett farther north to downtown Travelers Rest and the Prisma Health North Greenville Hospital. Gray said the updated route would provide service to the Walmart Supercenter in Travelers Rest, which was a request made by students at Furman University. 

The final recommendation involves splitting Route 504: Anderson into two separate routes running to the southwest area of Greenville. The route change would add more bus service along White Horse Road, reducing the need for transit users to cross the busy road. Gray said bus service would also be added back for the Staunton Bridge neighborhood. 

Next steps

Greenlink and its consultants plan to examine the financial feasibility of the proposed bus route changes presented at public meetings. Moreland said this will determine how much funding it would take to implement changes in coming years. 

The recommended transit improvements will be further refined based on these findings and public comments. A draft version of Greenlink’s 2026 Transit Development Plan will be developed over the summer with updated recommendations. Greenlink staff expect to create the final planning document in fall. 

For more information, visit https://www.greenvillesc.gov/2738/Greenlink-2026-Transit-Development-Plan.

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The program is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until July 25. Roper Mountain Science Center is located at 402 Roper Mountain Road in Greenville.

Summer Adventure’s new traveling exhibit, “Survival of the Slowest,” features sloths, snakes and other slow-speed animals. The exhibit encourages kids to think about the advantages of being slow and disadvantages of being fast. 

Children and families visiting Roper Mountain Science Center’s Summer Adventure will also have the opportunity to pet a stingray in the Marine Lab, see hundreds of butterflies in the Butterfly Encounter, explore the Living History Farm, visit the Environmental Science building or walk along the new outdoor Dinosaur Trails. The center will also host its Eat a Bug Blub, cockroach races and live animal talks each Saturday. 

A sensory-friendly hour will be held for Roper Mountain Science Center’s Summer Adventure from 9 to 10 a.m. on June 20 and July 18. Sensory bags will be available for visitors to check out at the center’s front desk, containing communication cards, noise-cancelling headphones and fidget toys. 

Tickets for the Summer Adventure program are $16 for adults and $15 for children ages three to 12 and military. Admission is free for children ages two and under and for Roper Mountain Science Center members. Individuals receiving SNAP benefits can purchase a ticket for $5. 

Roper Mountain Science Center will also offer a VIP experience, providing visitors with a behind-the-scenes look at the center at 3 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday. VIP guests will receive a 90-minute guided tour, up-close animal interactions and an opportunity to interact with a sloth in the Survival of the Slowest exhibit. Tickets are $125 per person. 

For more information, visit ropermountain.org/public.asp?titleid=summeradventure.  

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A $3 million project aims to revitalize the park’s playground area next to the Greenville Zoo. New playground equipment, picnic shelters and landscaping will be added, along with enhancements to the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail. 

The city of Greenville broke ground on the playground revitalization project on June 3. Greenville City Councilmember Wil Brasington said the project aims to enhance what has always been a great playground destination for children and families. 

Cleveland Park’s playground area and a section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail will be closed while renovations are complete. Brasington encourages families to visit Cleveland Park’s other amenities this summer while the playground renovations are underway. 

According to the city, the project is expected to wrap up by the beginning of October.

Park improvements

Minnesota-based Landscape Structures helped the city redesign the playground area in Cleveland Park. Design plans show two new playgrounds, one with age-appropriate equipment for children ages two to five and the other designed for five to 12-year-old children. Playground features include a 27-foot tower with slides, a ninja-style obstacle course and 10 swings with built-in shade. 

Children visiting the revitalized playground area will also be able to enjoy new play elements inspired by the Greenville Zoo, such as a “Seek and Find” adventure, animal educational panels and other animal-themed features. 

Two new picnic shelters will be constructed on either side of the new playgrounds. The project will also realign walkways, improve the land grading and add new landscaping around the playground area. 

In addition, the city plans to realign and widen the portion of the Swamp Rabbit Trail that runs next to the Cleveland Park’s playgrounds. Bike parking and water fountains will also be added at the entrances of the picnic shelters. 

The city of Greenville received a $500,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the playground revitalization project. Greenville City Councilmember Dorothy Dowe said the city was required to start the renovation project now due to federal grant’s guidelines. 

Additional hospitality tax, neighborhood infrastructure bond and trail funding will be used for the playground revitalization project. Brasington said the project demonstrates the city’s continued investment in its parks and recreational offerings.

Other improvements have been made to Cleveland Park in recent years. The city opened its first inclusive playground in the park September 2025. A $1.66 million renovation was also completed to the park’s recreational courts, creating new tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. 

“We’ve got wonderful parks positioned throughout the city,” Brasington said. “Every time we make an investment, every time we make an intentional enhancement on one park, we want to make sure all other parks follow suit and stay at the same level of excellence.”

For more information, visit https://www.greenvillesc.gov/2795/Cleveland-Park-Playground-Renovations.

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Recognizing the importance of discarded oyster shells is one of the reasons Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) established its oyster shell recycling program in 2017. By building community support and key partnerships with restaurants, ReWa has contributed about 430,000 pounds to the state Department of Natural Resources oyster shell recycling and planting program.

Building a virtuous cycle

As a water resources utility, partnering with SCDNR’s South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement program was a natural fit for ReWa, according to Haley Denison, the ReWa watershed and natural resources specialist who coordinates the utility’s oyster shell recycling program.

In a very real sense, oysters perform a similar function to ReWa in filtering water and improving water quality. The animals inside oyster shells pull the nutrients they need to survive from the water surrounding them. At the individual level, the effect is tiny but multiplied by the hundreds and thousands of oysters that make up an oyster reef and the impact on water quality and the health of the surrounding ecosystem is profound.

“There are a lot of parallels,” Denison said. “(Oysters are) improving water quality, filtering up to 50 gallons a day from a single adult oyster once they’re mature.”

To many people, they’re also delicious.

Capitalizing on that fact was one of the reasons the Table 301 restaurant group opened The Jones Oyster Co. in late 2022. According to Steve Seitz, Table 301 vice president and chief operating officer, the restaurant and staff were committed from the start to recycling the thousands of discarded shells the restaurant generates every week.

But that would have been extremely hard, if not impossible, without ReWa’s shell recycling collection site near the intersection of Mauldin and Wenwood roads.

“I drive my pickup truck to the drop station up to three times a week on average,” Seitz said. “If it wasn’t available, I don’t know how we’d do it.”

Those three trips each week represent on average about 10,000-12,000 shells. The volume was so significant that ReWa had to significantly expand its drop-off site as soon as The Jones Oyster Co. started adding its shells to the program.

From the mountains to the sea

Even though Greenville is more than 200 miles from the coast, ReWa’s oyster recycling program represents a significant percentage of shells recycled through the SCORE program, according to Holly Sommers, SCDNR’s coordinator for the program.

Part of her job is educating the public about the critical importance of oyster shell recycling. Oysters need oyster shell to replenish themselves, Sommers said, and a healthy oyster reef is typically home to more than 120 species of fish and other marine animals.

Despite having one of the best shell recycling programs in the country, SCDNR has to purchase shells from shucking houses each year to accomplish its task of maintaining and replenishing oyster reefs all along South Carolina’s coast, Sommers said.

That’s expensive.

“(That’s why) it’s so important that we work with whoever we can throughout the state to recycle as much shell as possible,” she said.

But beyond collecting recycled oyster shells, ReWa staff and volunteers transport the shells to the coast and participate in reef builds. According to Denison, seeing how the shells are returned to the sea to sustain and bolster marine ecosystems underscores the interconnectedness of the entire water cycle.

“Just from working in the water industry, you learn pretty quickly how connected all of your actions and your network really can be,” she said.

She added that every reef build has been rewarding and that each time she and the other volunteers learn something new. They also enjoy meeting other volunteers from all over the Palmetto State.

“People are always fascinated to learn where the shells are coming from, that even up in Greenville we’re still recycling the shells,” Denison said. “They love to hear about the efforts we’re doing, so it’s a good community-building experience.”

Good to know:

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ oyster shell recycling and reef building program is funded through sale of saltwater recreational fishing licenses.

ReWa shell recycling, by the numbers

• Since it began in 2017, the program has recycled more than 429,495 pounds of oyster shells.
• ReWa volunteers used 13,125 pounds of shells collected this year for a reef build April 30 along Old Towne Creek in Charleston.

Why oyster recycling matters

According to SCDNR, the closure of most oyster canneries and shucking houses along the coast in recent decades has greatly reduced the amount of shells available to cultivate and restore the state’s oyster beds. Also, the increasing popularity of backyard oyster roasts and sale of by-the-bushel oysters have further reduced shell availability, as most of those shells tend to end up in a landfill.

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HOME INFORMATION: $1,950,000 | 5 BR, 3 BA, 1 HBA 

Square Feet: 3,847 sq ft. +/- MLS # 1592967

SCHOOLS: Blythe Elementary | Hughes Middle | Greenville High

This timeless Mount Vista Avenue home blends classic elegance with refined luxury across 5 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. The primary suite is conveniently located on the first floor, along with a dedicated office that could also serve as a bedroom. The open concept layout is perfect for entertaining. The sunroom features a wall of windows that showcases the huge backyard. Upstairs, you’ll find four additional bedrooms, plus a bonus room over the 2-car garage. This exceptional property captures everything buyers love about the Augusta Road area while delivering the comfort, space, and thoughtful updates that make everyday living feel elevated.

This is an incredible opportunity to plant roots in one of Greenville’s most treasured neighborhoods. Enjoy being just minutes from award winning schools, The Greenville Country Club, the finest Augusta Road shopping and dining, Prisma Health, and award winning Downtown Greenville.

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Taking its place at Hone is Sacrament GVL.

The new pop-up has become well known for its matcha and flash – a style of cold brew invented in Japan – as it has not had an espresso machine since it got started in March.

On May 19, the budding coffee shop announced it has acquired an espresso machine, dropping a new menu May 20. Side note: Sacrament doesn’t up-charge for oat milk, seeing the selection as a necessity rather than a choice. What sweethearts!

Bite-sized bits:

• A new coffee shop will soon enter Greenville, Kind Cafe. It has a sister restaurant in Fairhope, Alabama.
• Potluck GVL will host a unique pop-up dinner at the Spartanburg Art Museum. The dinner – entitled Kiln to Kitchen – will be split into two parts on June 7 and June 26. On June 7, guests will get to make three pieces of their own plate ware in a ceramics class led by a local instructor. On June 26, Potluck will host a coursed-out dinner during which guests can use the plates they made and take them home. Tickets are available at dinepotluck.com.

In case you missed it:

• There is now a local Hawaiian plate lunch food truck, Simply Aloha. The truck is owned by Rebekah Ball, who hails from Makakilo, Hawaii on O’ahu. Ball opened the truck because she missed food from home. The truck serves items like chicken katsu, fried rice, loco moco (hamburger patty with gravy, mac salad and rice). Ball is of Korean descent and adds homemade kimchi to her plate lunch. Although not normally an addition to the plate in Hawaii, it is a tasty ode to her heritage.
• Did you hear there is a new speakeasy in downtown Greenville? Juhl & Co. opened March 31, bringing painstakingly classic cocktails to the space above Rey’s. The speakeasy was originally Rey’s Jeweler’s and the decor pays homage to the Art Deco era. Guests need a code to enter so be on the lookout.

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