GREAT FALLS, S.C. — Along the Catawba River in Great Falls, there is a new project that could change the lives of the people in that small community in Chester County.
Duke Energy is investing millions of dollars to bring whitewater rafting, kayaking, and boating to the small community of Great Falls on the Catawba River. It’s doing so by restoring the flow of water once diverted when the dams were first built.
“This is a game-changer for a town that has not been able to rebound since the 1980s,” South Carolina State Senator Mike Fanning said. “Duke has stepped up and they are right now dredging and building the best whitewater rafting opportunity in 14 states in the southeast.”
Like many small, southern communities, Great Falls was hit hard when textile mills left decades ago, leaving the town economically depressed and many of its buildings empty. Great Falls Interim Police Chief Jeremy Vinson said the town needs something that will attract small “mom and pop” businesses.
“Great Falls has potential. It’s a hidden gem,” Vinson said. “It just brings up the excitement again. It’s filling people with hope.”
Fanning was one of the leaders pushing for the project in Chester County. On top of the water activities, the state has provided funding for a state park that will be on an island in the middle of the river people will be out on. Fanning said with construction well underway, the project could debut in a year and a half.
“With this whitewater rapid coming in, we’re hoping that that does invite people into our community and allow that to happen, allow change and growth here,” Vinson said.
On Thursday, Governor Henry McMaster visited Great Falls and announced plans to invest half a billion dollars from American Rescue Plan funds to restore the state’s water infrastructure.
It's something Fanning said is needed to support large-scale projects like this one. On top of the water activities, the state has also provided funding for a state park that will be on an island in the middle of the river people will be out on.
Most of the project is expected to be complete in a year and a half, renewing this town with the hope of change.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.