More Catawba River access is coming, but paddlers will have to lose a little first.
A traffic and Catawba River access choke point will get some relief by January. Before then, it’ll get a little tighter.
The City of Tega Cay announced Friday the Fort Mill Access Area will close as Duke Energy and the city work to add 100 new parking spaces this fall. The access area will close Monday through Friday beginning Oct. 12. It will remain open on weekends for recreation.
On Nov. 2 the access point will close in full. It’s expected to reopen by Jan. 1, depending on weather.
The access area includes a public boat ramp and two fishing platforms leased by Duke to the city. It’s a popular spot for paddlers who time scheduled recreation flow water releases from the Wylie Hydro station.
Parking in the area was an issue this past summer, and in recent summers as more people flock to the Catawba River with canoes, kayaks and floats. Tega Cay and Rock Hill officials even set plans for how professional river outfitters should operate using public access areas.
Police were called out multiple times this summer in Tega Cay when demand for river access was so great, people started to park on a two-lane road near the access point. Vehicles were towed.
Plans have been in place even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, though city and Duke officials earlier this year said other closures like Carowinds led to more paddlers this year than even recent ones.
