‘It’s just been perfect’: Guests praise the new Allison Creek Park on Lake Wylie
Sure, there’s bustling excitement with the opening of a brand new park. But as that activity settles, Allison Creek Park offers a clearer glimpse of the many ways people can enjoy it.
York County Parks celebrated its grand opening last week of Allison Creek Park at 2499 Viesta Road in Lake Wylie.
County and park officials lauded an area six times larger than its popular Ebenezer Park in Rock Hill. Long-time Ebenezer park superintendent Pat Morrison said at the Allison Creek grand opening that plans for the park go back to discussions two decades ago, then were revived in 2012.
“It was a blast to be a part of this project from start to finish,” Morrison said.
Now beyond that finish line, guests can take in the the view.
At the new Lake Wylie park
Big Allison Creek stretches wide across the northern shores of the park. Beyond it, from a fishing pier or trail line, Catawba Nuclear Station makes clouds from the Concord Road peninsula. Elevation changes vary the scenery even within a short walk.
There’s a soundtrack to the new park too. Gravel paths crunch beneath tennis shoes and hiking boots. Squirrels and does rustle fallen leaves as they scatter toward the creek bed, away from park guests. Trucks trailer bass boats down an access ramp. A young child laughs and sways on a playground swing.
“It’s just a nice environment for everybody,” said Marge Van Remmen.
Marge and Rich Van Remmen live near enough to bring their springerdoodle Riley Jean for regular walks. The Van Remmens didn’t mind the cool weather on a recent trip.
“This is the perfect weather to walk the trails,” Rich Van Remmen said.
He wears a Duke Energy ball cap because of his son’s job with that company, but also recognizes the company’s role in the 160-acre park.
Duke Energy committed to a vast list of recreation improvements — restrooms at Buster Boyd Access Area, a new river park in Rock Hill, restoration of Great Falls — throughout the region as part of its federal license update approved in 2015. Expansion of the boat landing at Allison Creek Access Area was a major piece of Duke Energy’s recreation plan in York County.
The new park has the old access area’s fishing dock and boat ramps, but now it offers a kayak launch, 34 RV sites and 16 primitive tent camping sites. The park has areas with picnic shelters, 20 picnicking pads, an inclusive playground and a park store stocked with snacks, drinks and gear.
The county’s largest park also has 4 miles of hiking trails that connect to an historic graveyard at Allison Creek Presbyterian Church, where former enslaved people are buried.
The Van Remmens say the new park was worth the wait.
“It’s clean,” Marge Van Remmen said. “It’s well maintained. Every time we’ve been here it’s just been perfect.”
Enjoying the water
A.C. Lewis isn’t booked to stay at the park until May, but came last week to see what all is new. Lewis has a travel trailer and routinely camps with a few families out of Columbia. They’ve been to Ebenezer Park in Rock Hill, and learned about Allison Creek.
Lewis said there are important pieces that make a good camp site, and Allison Creek Park appears to have them.
“Cleanliness is one,” Lewis said. “We like to be around water. Whether we fish or we just like to sit around and look at water, we like to have it.”
Daily costs are $3 for adults and $1 for kids and senior adults. Yearly passes are $40.
Changes in York County’s park plans
For many years York County hesitated to have its own parks department.
The county distributed money to area municipalities for recreation programs; something it still does. There were some natural areas the county maintained, and it had Ebenezer. In recent years the county pivoted and embraced the idea of a parks program, especially when it comes to water.
In late 2018 the county purchased about 1,900 acres on the Rock Hill side of the Catawba River to create what is now called Catawba Bend Preserve. There are recent and coming renovations at Ebenezer. Field Day Park opened and land was purchased for preservation in Lake Wylie.
Now the county has a parks department and a director, Katherine Jones who was hired last year. Jones thanked county officials at the grand opening for what she said will be a state-of-the-art park and campground.
This story was originally published November 8, 2023 at 11:15 AM.
