1. Lake Conestee and Conestee Dam (2000)
   • The 145-acre Lake Conestee parcel, including the Conestee dam, was purchased in 2000. At the same time, the Foundation acquired an adjacent 5-acre parcel providing access to the historic Lake Conestee dam. These parcels were acquired for $200,000 using a grant from the State of South Carolina’s Colonial Pipeline Mitigation Trust Fund. The grant was administered by the SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).


2. Henderson Farm (2001)
   • The Foundation acquired the 112-acre Henderson Farm parcel in 2001. The parcel was secured by a note through Carolina First Bank, guaranteed by four private supporters of the Foundation. With a $625,000 grant from SC Conservation Bank, $205,000 in grants from private foundations, and a grant of $362,000 from Greenville County and SC Department of Transportation, the Foundation paid off the mortgage in early 2006.

3. Phase I Trail Construction (2005)

• A $100,000 grant from SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, along with $25,000 in matching funds from the Foundation, allowed for the construction of 2.1 miles of natural surface trails, a trailhead kiosk at the Henderson Avenue parking lot, and 650 linear feet of boardwalks. This system of trails was completed during the spring and summer of 2006, and was opened to the public on October 28, 2006.

4. Observation Deck Construction (2006)
   • Using funds donated by the Priester Foundation and by Dana Leavitt, the Foundation completed a spectacular 32 ft x 12 ft observation deck located between two beaver dams in the west wetlands portion of the park.

5. Forrester Farm (2006)
   • The purchase of this 41-acre parcel was made possible by generous grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Greenville and the SC Conservation Bank. The $500,000 grant from the Community Foundation allowed the Conestee Foundation to pursue matching funds from the Conservation Bank, who generously contributed $1.2 million to the land acquisition fund.

6. Paved Trail Construction (2007)
   • Construction of a 2/3-mile paved trail was completed in May 2007. The trail connects the park access on Fork Shoals Road with the access on Henderson Avenue. Greenville County and Conestee Foundation jointly provided local matching funds necessary to secure a Transportation Enhancement Program grant through SC Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. The paved greenway trail was constructed at a cost of $127,500.

8. East Bay Trail and Bridge (2007)
   • A $100,000 grant from the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism along with $29,453 from Greenville Women Giving, will allow for the expansion of the LCNP trail network. Together these funds will be used to build a trail along the Reedy River on the Forrester Farm property and along the river bluff behind the Municipal Stadium. The funds will also allow for the construction of a bridge across the Reedy River to connect the new trail to the existing trail network.

9. “River North” City Property (2007)
   • A SC Conservation Bank grant for $99,800 was awarded to the Foundation for the purchase of approximately 12 acres of land from the City of Greenville. The City will match the grant by donating an additional 69 acres of land, adjacent to the purchased land, along the Reedy River directly below Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority.

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