Why Parks Start With Land
The First Step in Parks Isn't Planning or Building — It's Buying the Land.
Open space and historic buildings at Oakland Plantation
Before a park can be planned, designed, or built… the land must be secured. That simple truth is at the heart of the Oakland Plantation story — and of land conservation everywhere.
In 2024, with funding from the South Carolina Conservation Bank and the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust, Greenville County took a critical first step by purchasing Oakland Plantation for $1.2 million, preserving the property for future public use. The acquisition ensured that this large tract of land would remain available for recreation, conservation, and community benefit — rather than being lost forever to development.
And that first step matters most. Because once land is developed, the opportunity to create a park is gone for good.
Land First. Planning Follows.
Creating a park is a multi-year process that depends on public input, design, engineering, funding, and construction. That's exactly what is happening now.
Formal public input and planning for Oakland Plantation is just beginning, with:
A public survey - Oakland Plantation Public Survey – launched this week
Community meetings scheduled through the summer
Long-term planning to guide future recreation and conservation uses
This deliberate approach ensures that the park reflects community needs — and that taxpayer dollars are invested wisely.
A Growing Community - and a Long Gap Between Parks
Oakland Plantation represents something even larger. By the time public input, planning, and construction are complete, almost two decades will have passed since the last county regional park opened. That's a long time — especially in a rapidly growing community.
Growth increases demand for parks, trails, and open space -- but land suitable for parks becomes harder and more expensive to find.
Why Acting Early Matters
Land conservation works best when communities act before development pressure makes land unavailable or unaffordable.
Securing Oakland Plantation when the opportunity arose ensured that future generations will have options — even if planning and construction take time.
That's the lesson: Before you can build a park, you MUST secure the land first. Planning, design, and amenities can be addressed later, when time and financial resources allow. But if the land is lost, the opportunity is lost with it.
