Taxes? Fees? Tega Cay will try a new way to fund Catawba Park. On a solid Foundation.

Tega Cay has a major park plan in the works to get people outside. To get there, they’re going outside the box.

The Tega Cay Forever Foundation has its first meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall. It’s the starting point for a a group taking a different approach to funding public projects. The foundation will work to provide for and promote city amenities. And, for one in particular, to help get it here faster.

“The idea for the foundation came about as a way to bridge the funding gap for Catawba Park,” said Charlie Funderburk, city manager. “As we continued to discuss its purpose we felt like it could be much more than that, but Catawba Park is going to be its initial primary focus.”

Catawba Park is a 61-acre plan along the Catawba River, mixing sports fields with playgrounds, walking trails, picnic shelters and open space. City leaders envision a community gathering spot and regional attraction. The site, off New Gray Rock Road, would involve land owned by the city, Duke Energy and Clear Springs.

Money from the city’s general fund and hospitality tax, along with donations from the Gardendale and Stonecrest development agreements, put existing funding for the park at more than $1 million. But the initial estimate for all work is about $12 million. The city approached York County about its hospitality tax as a potential source, and will look at other funding options, from naming rights to grants.

“The city recognizes that the parks, open spaces and community events are a large part what makes Tega Cay a special place to live, work and play,” Funderburk said.

The foundation got approval from Tega Cay City Council last winter and had its board roles — seven community members along with city staff and elected official liaisons — approved in March.

New board members include a financial planner, grant writer, accountant, published author and professor, marketer and bank vice president. They bring experience with groups from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to Winthrop University to Wells Fargo to Hendrick Motorsports. They sit on a variety of nonprofit and other boards.

“I was interested in the group because it works toward keeping Tega Cay a special place to live, work and play, with regard to parks and open spaces in the community,” said Brunella Belmonte Fiske, a Lakeridge resident and accountant who runs her own company.

“I would like to see it achieve great things by assisting in the completion of Catawba Park as well as maintaining and improving all city owned parks and open spaces.”

The foundation will serve as a fundraising arm of the city for the endowment of capital projects along with educational, recreational and cultural initiatives. The foundation already has articles of incorporation from the Secretary of State. The city plans to have nonprofit status soon.

“Once that is achieved it will provide a tax favorable means for people and businesses to give,” Funderburk said.

Belmonte Fiske believes the new group can do important work in Tega Cay.

“I believe this is important because with all the housing development going on in and around the community, it is also important to maintain and improve the community in terms of the recreational areas in Tega Cay so that families can enjoy all the amenities Tega Cay has to offer,” she said.

“This is what this foundation is intended for and I do hope that it succeeds in fulfilling its goals.”

This story was originally published April 5, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Taxes? Fees? Tega Cay will try a new way to fund Catawba Park. On a solid Foundation.."