Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Boathouse
McAdenville BY PENELOPE McCLENNY South Fork Trail
W
hether by foot, kayak or car, the town of McAdenville includes several paths for welcoming visitors into this thriving east Gaston community as well as plenty of reasons to make them stay. The new headquarters of a regional environmental organization combined with an active, civic-minded community means this town offers something for nearly every type of visitor or future resident. McAdenville may be well-known throughout the region and country as “Christmas Town USA,” Council Member Reid Washam said, “but I feel like we’re becoming a destination for outdoor recreation.” In mid-2021, the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation celebrated the groundbreaking of its new headquarters in a renovated downtown building along the banks of the South Fork River. Months earlier, the Riverkeepers also renovated a building on the banks of the river at the head of the South Fork Trail along the Carolina Thread Trail and are using that facility to offer kayak rentals, public information and retail sales. “It’s just a great opportunity for us to meet people who are into the outdoors,” said John Searby, Riverkeeper Executive Director. From the boathouse, visitors can begin a 2-mile hike along the Carolina Thread Trail to nearby Lowell. The Riverkeepers also offer kayaks for a variety of expeditions, including a float trip to Cramerton’s Goat Island or shuttle rides for a longer, guided trip back downriver from Spencer Mountain. 26
MONTCROSS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Rendering Of New Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Headquarters
Plans for the nearby Riverkeeper headquarters, which will be the anchor tenant in a 20,000-square-foot space along Main Street, include offices, a water testing lab, and a classroom for hosting summer camps, community lectures, and a wide variety of other events, Searby said. “Just having classroom space is huge for us,” Searby said. The facility will also house a taproom, showcasing a wide variety of local beers brewed solely from water along the basin. As with many projects in the town, the Riverkeeper Foundation benefited from the help of the McAdenville Woman’s Club, which sponsored the sign at the boathouse. From helping to maintain the local greenway to sprucing up the elementary school to sponsoring a college scholarship, club members volunteer time and help raise funds to support a wide variety of projects throughout McAdenville.
