April 2003
Contents

Message From the Executive Director:
* The Upstate as the next regional city

Conservation:
* Couple preserves land along highway 11
* Northern Greenville county tract preserved
* UF members donate land adjoining
Jocassee Gorges to State
* Conservation Bank Act signed into law!

Articles:
* The Upstate is being developed at the rate of a new Haywood Mall every three days!!
* Downtown Schools: a key step toward sensible growth
* Downtown schools in the Upstate
good news and bad news
* Can Stories Save a River?
Bringing Lawson's Fork back to life
* Main Street: Heart and soul of the Upstate
* Victory for streams in the Upstate!

Upstate Forever News:
* Events
* Awards
* Volunteers
* Staff

DOWNTOWN SCHOOLS IN THE UPSTATE:
GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

Two examples demonstrate the inconsistent record by Upstate school districts in their commitment to downtown schools.
     Some bad news is the recent decision by the Greenville County School Board to close Simpsonville Elementary, only one block from Main Street. The Simpsonville City Council, the Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce, and the Simpsonville 2020 Vision group unanimously passed resolutions urging the Board not to close the school. Over 150 Simpsonville Elementary parents signed petitions asking the school to be kept open. Upstate Forever Associate Director Diane Eldridge actively supported the efforts of these citizens and community leaders.
     The Johnston Design Group, an architectural firm in Greenville, presented an analysis comparing the cost of renovating and expanding Simpsonville Elementary at its present site with the cost of constructing a new school at the edge of town. It showed that the taxpayers would save approximately $1.8 million by keeping the existing Simpsonville Elementary open. The City also asked for an opportunity to meet with the School District staff to discuss the alternative plan and the City’s role in implementing it. At the School Board’s March 26, 2002 meeting, trustee William Herlong made a motion directing the staff to meet with the City and to evaluate the merits and costs of the alternative plan before taking any further steps toward building the new school. Incredibly, the motion was defeated, meaning the doors to Simpsonville Elementary will soon be closed forever.
     On the other hand, there is some good news in Spartanburg where School District Number 7 decided to renovate and substantially expand Pine Street Elementary, the oldest school in the county. The school will remain a wonderful asset of the downtown area, attracting residents and improving the quality of life in the community.
     The Greenville School District staff argued that the Simpsonville Elementary site (about 8.5 acres) is too small to accommodate the necessary expansion. Yet the Pine Street site occupies almost the same amount of land, which brings to mind the maxim, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”