LOWCOUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK

BY RISA WILLIAMS MCMILLAN • PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

Hilton Head keeps finding itself recognized on national platforms as a World Class Vacation destination, and our newest addition in the form of family and recreation, Lowcountry Celebration Park, gives us another nod towards this end. No grain of sand was left unturned in the meticulous planning and mind toward detail that can be seen in each footprint of the park as it combines recreation, discovery, and education.

The concept behind the park was circulated by the Town Manager and Council twenty years ago. Plans were finalized in 2015 and went out to bid, but Hurricane Matthew had other plans for the Island and everything was put on hold until last year. The site came to fruition with the purchase of land from a failed hotel development, the existence of the overflow parking lot for Coligny Beach, and the procurement of the Putt Putt next to Circle Center. Local architects, Wood +Partners, designed this $14 million project and worked with the town to create a place of pure joy. The location on the south end near Coligny is ideal and the size, just under 11 acres, is large enough to accommodate large open spaces, the synergy of lagoon, grassy and paved areas, as well as a sizeable playground and pavilion, but all the while not too big to take an evening stroll around the perimeter.

What’s that saying… ? “You can take the girl out of the city but can’t take the city out of the girl”? Well this park isn’t going anywhere. According to Town of Hilton Head’s Urban Designer and park project manager Chris Darnell, “This Park is really well thought out. A lot of parks you could pick up and plop down somewhere else. What is wonderful is that Celebration Park is so rooted in Hilton Head that you could never move this park to another location.”

Just take a stroll around the playground for some local culture and history. The Adventure playground is named after The Adventurer – the ship that William Hilton captained when he discovered the Island in the year 1663. This area is not just about swings and slides – kids will learn about the Island as they explore the trail that runs through the playground, mimicking the environment of the Island. The key attraction is the Pirate Ship which is a representation of the Adventurer and will be a

hit with all the young mateys as they walk the plank and are on the lookout for high seas and enemy vessels. Children can learn about Sea Turtles in the beach area as they can mount a replica and read about their nesting habits and markers that identify their nests. Also in the beach area is a place where they can dig for prehistoric fossilized shark teeth. They can walk the boardwalk over the lagoon and follow the footprints of indigenous critters like birds, deer, and raccoons. There is a wading water feature that is not to be confused with a swimming pool – rather it ebbs and flows like a tide. There are bunches of benches, some with shade, for gram and gramps, as well as a circular bench around an Arbor Tree with places for mom and dad to recharge their phones after taking an exhaustive amount of pictures and videos.

Next to the playground is a Children’s Museum made in partnership with the Sandbox. “Their discovery and play dovetails nicely with what we are trying to do with the playground,” said Chris. “The museum makes the park attractive even on a rainy day.” The Sandbox museum is broken into zones that include exhibits and interactive areas. According to Nancy Fish, executive director of the Sandbox, the different learning zones will include STEM, Bank/ Library, Grocery and Nutrition, Domestic animals, Transportation, Racetrack & Garage, and Construction. There will be an Arts and Crafts area and a Maker Space full of building and engineering activities like Lego challenges and microscopes. Designed especially for the Sandbox by Gulfstream is the Jet cockpit which Nancy rightfully termed as “really cool”. The 12,000 square foot outdoor area will have its own programs and will feature things like music walls, outside art, blue blocks, and eventually a rock wall. “We are very excited about this project and will be expanding our existing programming to go up to age 12 and beyond. I see this building as an opportunity to really continue our mission to provide play and educate and kids from here and everywhere,” said Nancy.

The Grand Lawn and Pavilion area, home to future concerts, are expansive and slightly graded for an amphitheater feel. The roof on the stage juts out to protect performers from the elements and Chris noted that the architectural columns provide a great backdrop. “The idea of using the space for a festival or fair was in the planning throughout.”

The perimeter path around the park is open 24/7 and features downlights to make for a romantic evening stroll. Everything from the subtle lighting on the trees and buildings to the lights on the fountains and filigrees makes the park an attractive nighttime destination. With 56 cameras on site, the environment is also planned with an eye toward safety.

“This is one hard working park,” commented Chris. There are shelves of plants built into the lagoons to improve water quality and planners focused on reducing flooding in the area with an intricate lagoon system and pervious parking areas. Chris also made note that he has done plenty of park visiting around the country and that the bathrooms at Celebration Park are the nicest around.

“This really is a World Class Facility. I always have heard so many stories about people who came here with their family and went to Sea Pines and played in the tree house and those kids are now coming back with their kids and buying houses. It is my hope that this park will be the thing that brings the next generation back,” said Chris.

The grand opening celebration for the park will be in March 2021. The Island Rec Center is in charge of booking entertainment and there will surely be full slate of concerts and festivals to celebrate at aptly named, Celebration Park.