Opening day: Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park

Recreation, history, nature share a space

MOUNT PLEASANT — The stunning view of the towering Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the area's longest pier, the war memorial with its terraced fountain, the open-air sweetgrass pavilion. Those elements will be on full display at 4 p.m. today with the opening of the town's long-awaited Memorial Waterfront Park.

"This is going to be one of the gems of Mount Pleasant," said Town Councilman Gary Santos. "Just bring the whole family down."

History, nature, recreation and tourism are blended in the $14 million, 9-acre project located between the Ravenel Bridge and the Tides condominiums.

"It's just really going to be a special place," Santos said.

On-site free parking for more than 300 vehicles will be available in a paved lot beneath the bridges and on grass and dirt lots just off Hallman Boulevard across from the park. Free shuttle service will be available from the College of Charleston athletics complex.

The park entrance, just off Hallman Boulevard, is a tabby-surfaced walkway between the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion and the Kruger B. Smith Building that serves as the park visitor center. As you continue on the walkway, the playground, with its dolphin-and-shrimp-boat themed climbing equipment, is on the left beneath the bridges. To the right is a large area of green space landscaped in Bermuda grass. As you approach the 1,250-foot long pier, the war memorial is to the right.

There, the names of dozens of local war veterans killed in action are inscribed. The sweeping view from the pier ranges from the Yorktown at Patriots Point to the Charleston peninsula to Remley's Point. A marsh vista extends in front of the Tides condominiums.

Christi Williams of Asheville, N.C., was taking a sneak peek at the park. "Amazing, awesome," Williams said. "It's about time to make use of this property. It's something that's so beautiful."

At the pier is a combination gift and tackle shop that includes a sandwich counter. A police substation also is housed in the same building. Dozens of police officers will be assigned to the park this weekend. The park has continuously-monitored surveillance cameras.

The pier opens to fishing on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Afterward, it becomes a place to view the fireworks launched from the deck of the aircraft carrier Yorktown at Patriots Point.

Police and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission will decide how many people will be allowed on the pier, Deputy Town Administrator Eric DeMoura said.

The state Department of Transportation donated 14 acres of highland for the park. The opening ceremony will celebrate what the town has built in the nine-acre first phase of the project. What will be done with the remaining 5 acres has yet to be decided.

Facility offers angling, dances, tasty treats

MOUNT PLEASANT — The snack and tackle shop at Memorial Waterfront Park pier will offer a lot more than frozen pizza and bait.

Its menu includes fresh-made sandwiches ranging from turkey and ham to tuna salad and hummus. Fruit smoothies, milk shakes and soft-serve ice cream as well as fresh-baked pastries and muffins will be on the menu.

"We're trying to go out on a limb here and do some pretty nice things. We hope it's well-received," said Eric Couch, pier manager.

Photo Gallery

Memorial Waterfront Park

Mount Pleasant's long-awaited Memorial Waterfront Park will be on full display at its 4 p.m. opening today.

After having a sandwich, anglers can buy frozen shrimp and mullet for bait. And for crabbers, frozen chicken necks will be sold. The pier has a commercial saltwater license, so the new saltwater license for anglers is not required. The fishing fee is $5 for Charleston County residents, $3 for children 12 and younger and $8 for anglers who live outside the county. Some construction workers have given the pier a try and caught black drum, sheepshead and spotted sea trout.

The other Parks and Recreation pier at Folly Beach measures slightly less in length than the 1,250-foot-long pier at Memorial Waterfront Park. Lopped-off pilings for the old John P. Grace Memorial Bridge provided the foundation for the Waterfront Park pier, which extends to near the shipping channel and offers dramatic views of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. The state Department of Transportation donated land for the 14-acre park.

An 8,100-square-foot covered pavilion for dances and other events was built at the end of the pier. The pier has bench swings at three additional shade structures along its length. Pier fishing begins at 6 a.m. Saturday and continues until 6 p.m. After that time, the pier will be closed to fishing and become a viewing location for the fireworks at Patriots Point that begin at 10:05 p.m. from the flight deck of the Yorktown.

The Patriots Point Fourth of July Blast has received national recognition. The number of people allowed on the pier may be limited, depending on the crowd, officials said.

Normal park and pier hours will be 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Starting Monday, parking will cost 50 cents per hour.

Kick up your heels, hear some live music

MOUNT PLEASANT — Dancing and concerts will be a big part of Memorial Waterfront Park.

On Aug. 29, the rock duo Spunjwurthi will perform at the park pier. It features Mark Bryan, guitarist for Hootie & the Blowfish. The band describes itself as "Tom Petty's Heartbreakers circa 1981 jamming with The Robinson Brothers, Frank Beard, Bill Withers, and the castaways from Bad Company."

"Shagging On The Cooper" events are planned at the pier July 25, Aug. 8, Sept. 19 and Oct. 24. A deejay will provide the music, said Tom O'Rourke, Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission director.

"We're as excited about this as anything that we've done. It's the nicest pier on the East Coast," O'Rourke said. The PRC will manage the pier for the town.

The PRC's Folly Beach pier has sold-out Moonlight Mixers that offer dancing at the pier pavilion.

The town pier is 1,250 feet long, a bit longer than the Folly Beach pier. The Folly pier is a wooden structure. The town pier is on concrete pilings and has a tabby surface. It also has a pavilion at the end.

O'Rourke said the two piers will have different emphases. The Folly pier is a fishing place that has events from time to time. He said the town pier will be an event facility that also offers fishing.

O'Rourke said he thinks that because of the recession, more people are using the county parks as opposed to going on vacation. The park system had 2 million visits in the past year, he said.

The Mount Pleasant park is the second municipal park to open on the Cooper River. North Charleston Riverfront Park on the former Charleston Naval Base has a contemporary Performance Pavilion and Grand Lawn. Its Fourth of July celebration begins at 3 p.m. and will include concerts, kids activities and fireworks.

Afternoon and evening concerts will include performances by Mary Wilson of The Supremes, the Blue Dogs and Crowfield. The park is at 1001 Everglades Drive.

OPENING WEEKEND

Today

4 p.m.: The park opens to the public.

6:30 p.m.: Park dedication ceremonies.

8 p.m.: East Coast Party Band on the pier; Charleston Community Band on the lawn; Nick Collins acoustic.

Saturday

6 a.m.: The pier opens for fishing. The fishing fee is $5 for a daily pass for Charleston County residents; $8 for non-Charleston County residents; $3 for kids 12 and younger.

6 p.m.: The pier closes to fishing, and it becomes available for viewing the fireworks at Patriots Point.

Sunday

2 p.m.: Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion dedication with basket-making demonstrations, African fabric art and performances by We Be Brethren.

6:30 p.m.: War Memorial dedication, military re-enactment groups and U.S. Marine Corps Band.

Parking

• Free parking all weekend.

• Shuttle available from College of Charleston Athletic Complex.

• Starting Monday, parking will be 50 cents per hour.

Park directions

• From Johnnie Dodds Boulevard, take Magrath Darby Boulevard to Wingo Way, turn left at Wingo Way and follow to park.

• From Coleman Boulevard, take Patriots Point Boulevard to Harry M. Hallman Jr. Boulevard and follow road to park.

Reach Prentiss Findlay at pfindlay@postandcourier.com or 937-5711.