Great Swamp Sanctuary to Unveil New Boardwalk at Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Ceremony to Follow Colleton Medical Center’s American Heart Walk 2011
Walterboro, S.C. – On Saturday, September 10, a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held to mark the opening of an additional boardwalk at Walterboro’s Great Swamp Sanctuary, one of the East Coast’s largest estuarine preserves, just on the edge of historic downtown Walterboro. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at the S. Jefferies Boulevard and Ivanhoe Road entrance, following the Colleton Medical Center’s American Heart Walk 2011.
This boardwalk, which is a continuation of the Great Swamp Sanctuary’s master plan, will function as part of the park’s current four mile network of boardwalks, hiking, biking and nature trails, providing visitors with additional vantage points for observing the diversity of wildlife inhabiting the black water bottomland. The most historically significant path follows the Colonial Era Savannah Stagecoach Road, which still bears the cypress remnants of long-fallen bridges. The new boardwalk will also link the Detreville Street entrance to the canoe dock, creating another entrance to the park on S. Jefferies Boulevard at the corner of Ivanhoe Road.
Prior to the ceremony, the Colleton Medical Center’s American Heart Walk 2011 will begin at 8 a.m. at the Washington Street entrance to the Great Swamp Sanctuary. This year’s walk will focus on heart and stroke disease. For more information on the Heart Walk, contact Linda Poole at 843-782-2516 or lpoole1995@yahoo.com.
Located within the ACE Basin, the Great Swamp Sanctuary is a nature based conservation area that combines history, culture, recreation, and education in a singularly southern lowlands setting. The more than 600 acre sanctuary, which may be the only “braided creek” swamp accessible to the public, is centrally located about an hour from Hilton Head, Savannah, Columbia, and Charleston, off of Interstate-95. The Sanctuary’s Washington Street entrance is located only steps from Walterboro’s main historic district.
The Friends of the Great Swamp Sanctuary invite volunteers to join them in their efforts as they continue with the expansion of additional nature, kayak, and canoe trails. For more information, contact the Friends of the Great Swamp Sanctuary at the City of Walterboro Welcome Center by calling 843-538-4353 or by visiting www.walterborosc.org. The Welcome Center is located at 1273 Sniders Highway in Walterboro.
Established in 1826, the City of Walterboro is hailed as the “front porch of the Lowcountry,” with its historic charm, plentiful natural resources and warm Southern hospitality. The area around the city, rich with forests and vast quantities of water, is also known as the gateway to the ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast. Centrally located between Charleston, Savannah, Hilton Head, and Columbia, the city is home to many historic buildings, antique stores, the Great Swamp Sanctuary and the S.C. Artisans Center, designated by the state’s legislature as the “Official South Carolina Folk Art and Craft Center.” In addition, the city is home to the largest general aviation airport in the state. Walterboro serves as the economic heart of Colleton County and maintains a small-town Americana atmosphere. For more information, call 843-549-2545 or visit www.walterborosc.org.
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