GREENVILLE -- Improvements to more than 100 campsites at the Old Greenville Recreation Area have moved along slowly, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff admit, but they feel the change will be dramatic when the campground reopens.
The more than $1 million in repairs and upgrades will see electric, water and sewer installed at all campsites, along with wider campsite pads and wider campground loops. More pull-through sites are being added, handicapped spaces will nearly double in size and additional tent camping sites on the river banks will be available, members of the Corps said Monday.
"A lot of people felt as if our crew was not working up here, but they couldn't see our crew working back here," explained park ranger Andrew Jefferson, during a tour of the first major upgrades since the recreation area opened in the 1980s.
The campground will definitely be open by the March 2019 camping season, Jefferson said, although the Corps hopes it will be much sooner. It closed after a May 2017 windstorm brought down more than 100 trees, and escalated a timeline to begin the upgrades.
Crews have completed 99 percent of electric improvements, changing all services from 30 amps to 50 amps, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff.
Workers are now about one-third of the way through the installation of water service for all campsites, having moved into the second loop, said Justun Buchanan, engineering technician.
Weather permitting, it could take approximately another two weeks to complete water service to all sites.
Work on sewer connections will begin after that, and will likely take longer, said Buchanan, because gravity-fed lines will need to be installed. Six lift stations have been placed, but another 21 are needed, he explained.
All of this work is being completed by Corps staff, Buchanan said. It moved more quickly before the recreation season began, when more workers could assist with the project, he said. Staff has had to juggle other needs across the project as recreation areas opened.
There were also some delays while working on the electric service, when Black River Electric Cooperative crews had to leave multiple times for emergency work in other areas following storms.
"Our guys have been working extremely hard to try to get this done," Jefferson said. "There is still a lot of work to be done out here."
A contractor will complete new paving for the campsite pads and campground loops once all utility work is finished, Jefferson said.
"Several things must be done before the campgrounds open. We don't want to piecemeal it," he said.
The day-use area, boat ramp and bike trail to the city of Greenville remain open to the public. There are no fees for launching from Old Greenville, Jefferson said.
Upgrades and repairs to Memory Lane, which is also closed, are planned, he said. The Corps has received funding to complete a new interpretive master plan. All of the interpretive signs will be replaced after the plan is complete, so they are consistent, Jefferson said. This will include Trail of Tears markers.