COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Town of Saluda is working on multiple projects, some with state grants, to improve the community and help residents become healthier.
This past week, the town was awarded $1 million to help renovate and upgrade tennis courts and an old public pool.
"You know, a lot of times, rural communities are overlooked when it comes to the bigger picture - especially with funding and things of that nature," Mayor Miliken Matthews said.
The pool has been vacant for nearly five years. The tennis courts haven't been maintained during that time period, either. Matthews said the town wants the space reimaged and utilized by all ages.
"My goal is for this space to be the summer destination for the kids and our adults in our community," he said. "They can come in here and do multiple things: walking tracks, basketball courts, pickleball courts, aerobics, yoga, those sorts of things."
This comes as the town is fixing an old self-service building with the goal of establishing a pickleball court and event space.
"It's also going to be a recreational area," Matthews said. "We've owned that property for over a decade now, and actually, we just got a few more things to tie up there, and then it'll be ready to go."
According to Police Chief Kes Holmes, the town wants to provide community spaces to boost the overall health of residents.
"We're kinda lower on the list with the overall community, and we have an aging community," he said. "I think one of our main goals as government is to really look out for the well-being of our citizens. I don't think there's a better thing than giving them a place to take care of their bodies."
Willie Coleman, who lives across from the Saluda pool, said he's excited to have the space reimaged.
"It'll give the young kids and people [a place] to get together and have a good time and really see what Saluda's about," he said.
Mayor Matthews did not provide a timeline for the pool project but said the town is working with engineers to assess the work ahead.
