The first phase of York County’s biggest park will open soon. What to expect
York County’s largest park won’t be complete for years, but construction on it’s most critical piece is just about finished. The $6.3 million first phase of Catawba Bend Preserve should wrap up in January.
“This is the project that will allow us to be able to open the park,” said York County Engineer Lisa Hagood.
Hagood and county Parks and Recreation Director Katherine Jones updated York County Council on park plans Monday night.
The county intends to allow public access to the park as additional features like disc golf, mountain bike courses and trails are added in coming years. The first phase will provide access to the 1,900-acre site on the Rock Hill banks of the Catawba River that the county bought seven years ago for $21 million.
“That is basically the grand entrance, the entrance road — a mile and a half of road — a trailhead, restroom, parking,” Hagood said. “And there’s also a gatehouse.”
Catawba Bend Preserve is at 3271 Neely Store Road. First phase construction started in October 2024 with the intent of wrapping up last month. That schedule would’ve handed the park over to York County Parks this month for a public opening.
There were 60 days of weather delay this year, Hagood said, leading to the new timeline of wrapping up construction by Christmas and having the parks department take over in January. An opening date hasn’t been announced.
While the first phase is its most significant in allowing public access, it’s one of five ongoing projects at Catawba Bend.
Dam repair, greenway space at Catawba Bend Preserve
Two projects on a combined $4.5 million construction contract started last month.
The first one will repair dams on three of the nine ponds on the park property. One more of those ponds had its dam repaired through phase one construction on the entrance road.
“The ponds out there, it’s a great amenity to the park,” Hagood said. “The public loves them. The dams were old, just kind of farm ponds, and overgrown. And getting ready to all fail.”
Pending weather, three earthen dams should be repaired by May. Then the same contractor, J.D. Goodrum, will begin building the first 1.5 miles of paved greenway trail along the river.
That work should run through November 2027.
The park has five miles of river frontage. The initial trail, which will include a path from the parking area to the river, will be a 10-foot-wide asphalt surface that is ADA compliant. The trail will vary from quite close to the water to 30 or 50 feet from it, and will be elevated from the typical water level.
Mountain bike trails at Catawba Bend Preserve
York County Council will vote on a construction contract next month for $1.1 million in mountain bike trails for the park. Half of that amount would come from two federal recreation grants. Trails would be created for varying skill levels.
If the contract is approved, construction would start in January and be completed within six months. Plans are for eight to 10 miles of single-track, natural trail.
World-class disc golf course at Catawba Bend Preserve
If the county approves a separate contract next month, construction will begin in January on disc golf courses. They would be finished in April, in time for most of the outdoor play season.
AcePlace Disc Golf in Rock Hill is the design company and builder.
“They may come back in May after we get some folks using it, and they’re willing to make some adjustments to it based on users,” Hagood said. “So it’s going to be a world-class, very nice facility when that’s done.”
Half of the $400,000 project would be paid for using a state recreation grant. The site would have an 18-hole championship course that could host tournaments, nine-hole recreation course, warmup areas and related amenities.
Rock Hill has a long history of disc golf competition at the highest levels.
The Professional Disc Golf Association began hosting its annual United States Disc Golf Championship at Winthrop University in 1999. Several other disc golf courses are located throughout the region.
Long path to open Catawba Bend Preserve
While the public hasn’t been there to see it, county staff have been hard at work the past year preparing Catawba Bend Preserve, Jones said.
They’ve set up a park store and designed T-shirts. They’ve been certified to use chainsaws, then removed dead pines. About four miles of natural trail went in, with signage. Staff also hand-filled 3,000 holes left over time by downed trees or animals.
“It is manicured, finish mowed,” Jones said. “It looks spectacular. And the best part is we have eliminated that liability and risk, so people can walk through our groves, picnic in our groves and feel safe.”
A community celebration likely would come months after the public begins to use the park.
There are plans for events, like an annual countywide cross-country race for high schools. As the county began its first phase work, new projects came quickly as grants became available. The same could happen again as the park opens.
“You score the highest (on grant applications) if your project is ready to go,” Jones said.
When she started three years ago, the county had approved a park master plan. They gave her direction, and now all of York County is nearly there.
“The goal was, let’s get this park open,” Jones said. “It was, we want to get people out here. We want them to experience nature in this preserve, and explore the property.”
