As sustainability and environmental concerns continue to come to the forefront of the golf industry, an unlikely urban golf facility will bring the issue full-circle as it revives an area formerly impacted by industrial contamination. Beau Welling Design together with the ReGenesis Project, a private-public-community partnership bridging gaps in economic development and spurring community recovery in Spartanburg, South Carolina, hope to bring that vision to life as they have set out plans to revitalize the former IMC fertilizer plant, Arkwright textile mill, as well as the Bomar and North Street dump sites into a public, urban golf facility.
Representatives from Beau Welling Design attended a tour and celebration of the ReGenesis Project on June 30 as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, along with South Carolina State Representative Harold Mitchell, Jr., and various federal, state, and local officials were on-hand in Spartanburg to recognize the project’s successes and continue to look towards its future goals.
Founded by Rep. Mitchell in 1998, the ReGenesis Project was born out of a mission to represent the interests of the Arkwright and Forest Park communities in the revitalization and cleanup of the neighborhood containing severe industrial contamination and pollution. Since 1998, an initial grant of $20,000 from the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice has been leveraged into an investment totaling $270 million for the community.
Beau Welling has been involved in the ReGenesis Project for over a decade as Beau Welling Design and Rep. Mitchell seek to repurpose the Brownfields and Superfund contaminated sites into a greenspace that will serve the residents of Spartanburg and grow golf in the recovering community.
“We look forward to the opportunity to work with Rep. Mitchell and that passionate group assembled to undertake the honorable work done through the ReGenesis Project,” said Beau Welling, President of Beau Welling Design. “We hope that the creation of an accessible urban golf facility on these sites will mark a new beginning for the Arkwright community.”
Plans for the golf facility include a 9-hole executive course, a 6-hole par 3 course, as well as a driving range and practice facility.
To uphold the visions of upcycling the property, the golf facility will not only serve as an innovative model of environmental stewardship, but also function as a sustainable community asset for recreation, gathering, and job training and creation.
In lieu of a traditional clubhouse, a building will be shared with The Bridge Tech, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization preparing students for the workforce in industries including engineering, computer engineering, and robotics, to serve local youth.
As plans continue to progress, the June 30 event marked a special milestone for the ReGenesis Project as its efforts and longevity were recognized by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy for the creation of a public-private community partnership, involving residents, local industry, and government agencies at the local, state, and federal level.