edisto river boardwalk could reopen in 2019; fema to pay $245k for damage from floods, hurricane

Jan. 13--Horne Wetlands Park took its first blow in October 2015, when the historic floodwaters rushed through Orangeburg. The second blow came in 2016 from Hurricane Matthew.

The storms shut down a major attraction in Edisto Memorial Gardens. The park is a 2,700-foot boardwalk that winds through tupelo and cypress trees along the North Fork of the Edisto River.

Now city officials say the park could reopen this year with help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said, "I am so glad that we as a city can start the process of getting it repaired. It will mean so much to the city so that the citizens can use the boardwalk as they walk through the gardens and on the trail."

Butler said, "City Council always tries our best to make Orangeburg a better place to live and play. That is one of the highlights of the gardens, to be able to walk on that boardwalk."

The repairs have been awaiting FEMA review and funding estimates. The agency treated the flooding and the hurricane as two separate events for the purpose of filing claims and getting reimbursement, Orangeburg City Administrator John Yow said.

The city has been at FEMA's mercy when it comes to repairing the boardwalk, he said. "We were willing to wait on the FEMA determination and on the funding."

FEMA has agreed to pay about $245,000 for the repairs, Yow said.

Yow is hoping to begin seeking bids for the boardwalk repairs by late January or early February.

"We don't know how much we will have to match until the bids come in," he said.

The city hopes to have the park open by late summer of 2019, Yow said.

"We are going to get it done," he said.

St. George resident Christy Sanford remembers walking along Horne Wetlands Park's boardwalk in the past.

"It was a nice attraction," said Sanford, who was born and raised in Orangeburg but moved to St. George about seven years ago.

"You could step off and there was a gazebo back that way. You could step off and people would go swimming or just come and sit," she said.

Sanford visited the park to show a friend, but when they approached the boardwalk's entrance she saw the sign stating it was closed and was disappointed. She knew the boardwalk was closed a few years ago, but was surprised to see it still closed after three years.

"I miss it," she said. "I really do. It is a nice place, especially for people who don't have a place to exercise and just like to walk. It was a nice area to walk."

Nearly 20 inches of rain fell on some parts of Orangeburg County ahead of the October 2015 flooding.

The North Fork of the Edisto River, which runs along the boardwalk, crested at 13.64 inches on Oct. 5. The North Edisto's flood stage begins at 8 feet.

Horne Wetlands Park lifted during the flood, leading city officials to block it off.

In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew pounded the area with heavy winds and rain.

The Edisto Gardens' spray park also suffered damage as a result of the October 2015 floods.

Insurance covered the damage to the spray park and FEMA helped pick up the spray park's remaining costs.

The spray park has been up and running for a couple of years.

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