Local

Columbia to have ‘soft opening’ for Saluda Riverwalk this weekend

The city of Columbia is set to open amenities at the Saluda Riverwalk, the newest section of the Three Rivers Greenway.

According to Assistant City Manager Henry Simons, the city is doing a “soft opening” of the riverwalk on Saturday.

“On Saturday, June 12, at 6 a.m., we will open two parking lots (at the riverwalk) for guests to utilize, as this will mitigate parking and safety concerns on Candi Lane,” Simons said in a Friday afternoon statement. “There will be a total of 120 parking spaces available for use. The ‘soft opening’ will include public access to restrooms. Park rangers will be on duty to assist guests as needed.”

The Saluda Riverwalk can be accessed at 650 Candi Lane, just west of Riverbanks Zoo. The gates of the Saluda Riverwalk will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

Simons said the city will host a formal ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for the new stretch of greenway later this summer.

The Saluda Riverwalk has been years in the making. It was funded by the Richland County Transportation Penny Program. While the parking lots, gates and restrooms had not previously been formally open, residents have still been accessing the riverwalk in recent months.

This story was originally published June 11, 2021 at 4:17 PM.

Chris Trainor
The State
Chris Trainor is a retail reporter for The State and has been working for newspapers in South Carolina for more than 21 years, including previous stops at the (Greenwood) Index-Journal and the (Columbia) Free Times. He is the winner of a host of South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in column writing, government beat reporting, profile writing, food writing, business beat reporting, election coverage, social media and more.
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW