The City of Hartsville had another year filled with progress and new developments in 2014. These 10 stories from across the last 12 months highlight some of the efforts and projects taken on by the City in the past year.
1. Duke Energy Center for Innovation graduates first business
The Duke Energy Center for Innovation, a City-partnered program supporting new company formation and commercializing emerging-technology products and services, celebrated the graduation of its first business, FME Nuclear Solutions, LLC, a company which writes software applications for industry. FME opened its own office space in downtown Hartsville.
2. Winter Storm Response
In January and February, the area was hit with significant winter storms. City police and firefighters as well as the Public Service Department were all on the job throughout the inclement weather, keeping residents safe and attending to needs where they arose.
3. Community efforts at Byerly Park
The Byerly Park Recreation Complex was again the recipient of major new improvements in 2014 made possible by many dedicated community partners. These include the Born Learning Trail established by the United Way of Hartsville, Darlington County First Steps and Duke Energy, Garrison’s Place: A Handicapable Playground made possible by the Byerly Foundation and dedicated local parents.
4. Ongoing Byerly Park investments
Byerly Park has also been the home of major quality-of-living investments in Hartsville in recent years, and some of those existing projects have continued to pay off, seen through the successful second season of the Piratesville Splash Pad as well as its hosting of the 2014 Dixie Youth Baseball “O” Zone Tournament.
5. Main Street Hartsville
Main Street Hartsville, the downtown development organization created by the City and the Community Foundation for a Better Hartsville in 2013, had a wildly successful first full year of supporting Hartsville’s downtown district, through efforts ranging from special promotions like the annual Downtown Holiday Open House, to special projects, like the #ConnectHartsville effort, in which S.C. Governor’s School students helped downtown merchants build online presence. Main Street also helps provide downtown events like the Concerts on College Avenue series, and has helped local businesses with their curb appeal through the Sign and Grant Paint Replacement Program.
6. Engine 111
The Hartsville Fire Department took an important step forward in providing quick and reliable protection for our residents through the acquisition of the brand- new Fire Engine 111.
7. Hartsville Fire Department outreach
The Hartsville Fire Department has also kept up its impressive community outreach efforts in 2014, including the Smoke Alarm Blitz to help install lifesaving smoke detectors in the homes of Hartsville residents, as well as the annual Boots and Buckets for Kids toy fundraiser to help make Christmas bright for families in need.
8. Hartsville Police Department outreach
The Hartsville Police Department has also stayed focused on building bridges in the community this year, bringing as always the National Night Out evening for families in August as well as well as the STAND Program to help the community address drug market concerns, the fan distribution program to help residents during the worst of the summer heat and the Annual Youth Summit to help young people understand the issues they face and how they can respond.
9. City Planning efforts
Planning efforts to lay the foundation of a stronger future Hartsville community have been very busy this year, including the new Hartsville Master Plan as well as a Community Planning Assistance Team project, made possible by the American Planning Association to better understand the issues and possibilities present in the South Hartsville community.
10. Rubber sidewalks in Oakdale
As part of the City’s ongoing revitalization efforts for the historic Oakdale Neighborhood, the City installed Eco-Flex Rubber Sidewalks along the community’s streets, an innovative project to help preserve tree canopies and reduce long-term sidewalk costs. The installation is the first of its kind in the region.