“In the South, history clings to you like a wet blanket. Outside your door the past awaits in Indian mounds, plantation ruins, heaving sidewalks and homestead graveyards; each slowly reclaimed by the kudzu of time.” ― Tim Heaton, from Don’t Be Ugly: The G-Rated companion book to “Momma n ‘Em Said: The Treasury of Southern Sayings”
As a typically lush summer moves through the Swannanoa Valley, so do the plans and activities surrounding Swannanoa’s newest public space, “Fox Creek Park,” located in the Grovemont community. The planned park sits on a 2.35-acre parcel that was recently donated to the Swannanoa Community Council (SCC), a nonprofit that owns the Swannanoa Library building and Grovemont park and playground, by local real estate developer Brent Allen. The property was once the site of “Lake June,” a beautiful recreational lake built by E.W. Grove in the early 1920’s as part of his planned community, “Grovemont-On-Swannanoa.” Although the dam and spillway remain, the lake is long gone, and the property has remained largely untouched by human hands for many years.
And thanks to the efforts of one of our newest neighbors, Glen Peterson, the dense overgrowth of kudzu overwhelming the dam’s spillway has been slowly receding in recent weeks. Glen has spent hours weeding and clearing the entrance to the park, working to identify valuable plant species inside the boundaries, and helping to solidify a vision for the park’s future. With a better understanding of what’s there and what needs to be preserved, the first tentative steps are being taken toward preparing the space for visitors.
That effort got off to a great start at the first Fox Creek Park workday on Saturday, July 31. Proving, once again, that many hands really do make light(er) work, a group of 14 enthusiastic volunteers made tremendous progress clearing brush, removing kudzu and other invasives, and beginning the process of cutting a path into the property. More of these gatherings will be coming soon; all are encouraged to come out and lend a hand. In the meantime, take a walk down Ivanhoe Drive in Grovemont, and check out the progress that’s already been made.
Want to know more? Visit FoxCreekPark.Org, and join the mailing list to stay informed about upcoming events.
Volunteers take a break for a photo op at the Fox Creek Park workday on Saturday, July 31.