Aiken County gets grant to boost Langley Pond as rowing venue

BURNETTOWN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A state grant will help Langley Pond Park host more rowing events like a regatta last month that brought rowers from four states to compete in Aiken County.

The park is being recommended for a $160,000 grant from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

The money will cover half the cost of rowing course spectator docks at the finish line and 500-meter mark, along with an eight-lane start dock. The finish line spectator dock would hold about 500 people, and the 500-meter dock would hold about 150.

”Aiken County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism is beyond thrilled to be awarded the Undiscovered South Carolina grant for this cycle,” said Mark van der Linden, director of the county agency.

He said the money will help the county grow Langley Pond Park into a destination park, which has what he calls a “world-class rowing venue.”

The park has hosted more than 50 local, regional, and national-level rowing events, including last month’s Augusta Invitational Regatta.

Also getting a grant from the state agency is the city of North Augusta, which will use the $150,000 toward improvements at the Sharon Jones Amphitheater.

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