Jail Work Crews help beautification project

Spartanburg County jail work crews cutting and clearing thick, overgrown sections of I-585 also are working to make a dream come true for Hans J. Balmer.

Balmer is chairman of a 2-year-old volunteer group, Spot of Pride. The group identifies areas to be improved, approaches sponsors and coordinates the clean-up or landscaping work.

One of their ongoing projects is the I-585 section from north of California Avenue to the Highway 221 underpass.

"Everybody agreed it looks terrible," Balmer said. Something needs to be done."

So Spartanburg Chrysler Jeep Suzuki, Neuburger/Reid Properties, doctors offices, Milliken & Co., Spartanburg Regional Medical Center and other businesses contributed to the $160,000 project, he said.

What helped make it feasible and reduce the price, Balmer said, has been the work provided by two- to 14- person work crews from the Spartanburg County jail. The laborers were temporarily reassigned from regular litter pick-up projects, said warden Larry powers.

"When we first looked at it (I-585), it was a pretty daunting task," Powers said.

The jail purchased minor equipment to help cut back the bushes and worked with the Department of Transportation to permit needed lane closings. The costs are minimal - transportation, equipment and a supervisor.

The workers have been cleaning out debris, overgrowth and thickets "that looked so unattractive," Balmer said.

Ultimately, hearty shrubs and grass will be planted.

When that is done, it may join nearly a dozen finished Spot of Pride sites including the Hearon Circle area, hanging flowers downtown, and an island between Sweetbriar Circle and Vanderbilt Road, Balmer said.

"It's a tremendous enhancement that benefits the entire community," assistant County Administrator Glenn Breed said.

Making the environment more attractive promotes a healthy community and instills more pride, Balmer said.

The I-585 project is just one of his dreams. Someday, he wants Business 85 to truly be a parkway.

That, like I-585, is "something I've dreamt of," he said.