Have you ever hung out on the river near the zoo? not any more

#1
http://columbia.wistv.com/news/news/53228-new-fence-zoos-parking-lot-will-limit-access-river



Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is taking additional steps to increase security and improve the guest experience by erecting a new fence along the perimeter of the west-end of the Zoo parking lot – closest to the lower Saluda River.

Riverbanks Zoo has seen a record attendance trend of more than one million visitors annually during the last three years and just recently announced an all-time attendance high of 1,029,492 guests during the 2011-2012 fiscal year. This record growth along with the ever-increasing number of non-Zoo visitors using the Zoo parking lot for river access has prompted Riverbanks to put additional safety and security measures in place.

“The safety of Riverbanks’ guests and employees is our number one priority,” said Satch Krantz, president and CEO of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “Over the past four years, tens of thousands of people have been using the Zoo parking lot solely to access the Saluda River. The vast majority of these people are law abiding citizens but there is a certain element that creates almost daily problems for the Zoo’s public safety staff. ”

Additionally, the ever-increasing number of river users has forced the Zoo to turn guests away during peak times. During the Zoo’s busy 2012 Spring Break season in April and May the Columbia Police Department was forced to close the Greystone Boulevard exit due to heavy traffic.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is South Carolina’s number one tourist attraction. In a recent study commissioned by Riverbanks, the University of South Carolina College of Hospitality, Retail and Sports Management revealed the Zoo’s annual economic impact on the local economies of Richland and Lexington Counties. The results of that study underscore the fact that Riverbanks is a powerful economic driver within the local economy—generating more than $60 million in local business sales and creating more than 700 jobs in the community.

“Not taking appropriate action would put the Zoo’s status as South Carolina’s premier attraction in jeopardy,” Krantz said.

Riverbanks encourages use and enjoyment of the Saluda River at those areas designed to accommodate access such as Saluda Shoals Park. Work to erect the new fence is scheduled to begin at the end of the month. Once completed, the fence will attach to the already existing portion located at the east-end of the parking lot – encompassing the entire parking area. Riverbanks also recently added an electronic gate at the entrance to the Zoo parking lot as well as a locked gate at its Rivermont parking area for increased security.
 
#4
There is a frontage rd on the Irmo side that gets use alot. When I go by on the train I see alot of hanky panky after dark, them USC girls are flexible let me tell ya!
 
#5
There is a frontage rd on the Irmo side that gets use alot. When I go by on the train I see alot of hanky panky after dark, them USC girls are flexible let me tell ya!
yeah, that frontage road is Candi Lane, and they write a lot of tickets for parking on that side. I was back down there grabbing a geocache when a pile of tickets were getting handed out.
 

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#8
So ...... the only thing they are doing is ruining it for those "law abiding citizens". Because the "certain element" isn't going to care that there is a fence there. The parking lot story is just a bs. Seriously, getting rid of the 10 or so cars there at any given time is really going to increase their parking capability that much?
 
#9
Here's the problem with the Cola side.
In the past few years there have been several robberies, rapes, and auto break ins. Your not gonna hear about it because that would possibly damage the public perception of the safety of the zoo. The access along the frontage rd is no better. I'm not sure who owns the property where the power lines cross, but if it were SCE&G I would try some petition style signed requests for a public parking access area. That would solve the parking issue.

The W.Cola. Side of the zoo is basically the residents in the area complaining about the traffic, and the unwanted element, along with the problems the zoo feels that they have.
I don't see how they can block access to that side of the river. If I remember correctly there are the remains of a confederate encampment and the historic bridge. I would argue that those are state historical sites that they have no rights to deny access to.
 
#11
The zoo has room to build a bigger parking lot but i guess they dont see the point in spending the money.
Yup - no reason for the Zoo to add parking to account for non paying visitors.

So ...... the only thing they are doing is ruining it for those "law abiding citizens". Because the "certain element" isn't going to care that there is a fence there. The parking lot story is just a bs. Seriously, getting rid of the 10 or so cars there at any given time is really going to increase their parking capability that much?
When I used to kayak there I'd see several dozen vehicles for people at the river, plus extra vehicles for people using the picnic area. The number of vehicles can mount up. If you think about it too since river visitors aren't there to pay and visit the zoo, and the zoo probably in all likelyhood doesn't want to provide public access to the river, it could be argued that the non-paying river visitors are trespassing.

I don't see how they can block access to that side of the river. If I remember correctly there are the remains of a confederate encampment and the historic bridge. I would argue that those are state historical sites that they have no rights to deny access to.
If the property belongs to the zoo then they can pretty much do what they want as far as public access. There are some angles that could be worked on like public fishing access, but public "party and hang out" access is generally frowned upon by private property owners.

There are some historical building, mill, and similar remains on the site but that can easily be an argument to close the area off so these resources aren't damaged.

FYI I deal with land use and access constantly from a professional consulting perspective so I get to see the issues from both sides hence some of the things I'm pointing out above.

I remember back in the day when the Botanical Garden was full of steep as heck mountain bike trails in the mid nineties.
 
#12
Yep, I have biked those trails.
I grew up playing ball there before the zoo made it a parking lot.
I know both sides as well, but was leaning more to the public domain side!
 
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