Sitting in the stillness of Millers Fork, you can barely hear the whoosing of I-26 traffic nearby.
The fast-moving interstate is obscured by mature trees. This carved out trail and amenities area just over a decade ago was just a big sewer line. And, it had no interstate frontage road to get to it.
Now, people have found it.
“Every time we are here, we meet new people,” said Susan Galloway, president of Clinton Canopy. The volunteer organization has spent countless hours refining Millers Fork Trail, as well as greening and flowering the City of Clinton.
Clinton Canopy sponsored a May 11 ribbon-cutting for the new picnic shelter at Millers Fork, and Galloway acknowledged the group’s efforts along with the City of Clinton, Laurens County, and Central Realty for bringing the project to fruition.
Now that there are trails, stairs, picnic tables, a bridge, directional sign, and parking; the future project includes an enhancement of accessible-parking in the park’s center (through additional Laurens County Fair Foundation money).
And, there is anecdotal evidence that this hidden gem — Miller Fork cannot be seen from I-26 or from the frontage road that connected Hwys 72 and 56, except at its entrance - no longer is unknown. “We have cameras out here,” City Manager Joey Meadors said, “and I look at them occasionally when I’m at home, and there are a lot of people who come out here during the week.”
Laurens County Administrator Jerre Threatt has a long-standing relationship with the park, as he was the assistant city manager of Clinton when the idea emerged in 2013, and now directs the County government which has provided construction support through its Parks & Recreation Department. “I also sit on the ATAX (accommodations tax) Committee, so I would see the applications come through and I’m so glad that tax could give some money.” Additional funds, if available, could carry the trail through Phases 2 and 3, he said.
Galloway said, with the park divided into two parts (by a tunnel under the frontage road) and a down-the-hill parking area in the center, “We needed a sign” and the Canopy enlisted the help of the Clinton High School graphic design class. From 27 submissions, the idea and drawings of Bethany Von Barber was selected and the student-winner stayed involved to “tweek” the design to where it could be mounted on the sign. “She didn’t have to do that,” Galloway said. “She had already gotten her grade for graphic arts, but she stuck with us. She put in a QR code and, after today, that should link to our website.”
Clinton Canopy gave Bethany a small gift and made a presentation to graphic arts instructor Brittni Johnson for the CHS program.
To make Millers Fork work, it needs a bridge-over-water inside the tunnel. Meadors said, “In February, 2016, we submitted grants and once we got through the approvals, we did planning and engineering. Tim Elmore, with Elmore Construction, did exceptional work on the bridge. (Working) with Jerre, we had a design for a bridge; but if we had stuck with that design, we would still be waiting.”
MORE about the Canopy here.
