At workshop, Hilton Head envisions a new future

An outdoor living-history museum to commemorate Hilton Head Island's former freed-slave community is among the several plans the Town Council began discussing Thursday at it annual goal-setting workshop.

"What does the town want to be when it grows up?" was the question consultant Curtis Coltrane asked the council at the meeting held at Honey Horn. The goal was to look ahead to 2025.

The most ambitious plan was building a partial replica of Mitchelville, which was the first planned village in the United States for freed slaves. Other ideas included sprucing up the Coligny-Pope Avenue area as a family-friendly business district, turning the Shelter Cove area into an arts and theater center and adding more educational programs at Honey Horn.

All of these ideas come at a time when the island is facing the strain of a slow economy and is looking for ways to attract businesses, a new direction for a town that historically focused on building up its tourism industry.

The fear is that focusing solely on tourism will not be enough to sustain the island's economy. Building that economic future will mean redeveloping outdated parts of the island and relaxing some of its restrictions on development, town officials said.

"In order to maintain our core values, our natural resources, we have to maintain our core economic base," said Mayor Tom Peeples. He said the island's policy of limiting development through rigid rules was a luxury the town no longer could afford.

"If we don't do anything to develop," he added, "in the long term, accommodationsnumbers would go down, then we won't have the ability to renourish the beach, or keep the medians and the landscaping the way that we do."

MITCHELVILLE

The purpose of the Mitchelville outdoor history museum would be to educate visitors about Gullah culture. The idea was first discussed several years ago at the dedication of Mitchelville Beach Park. Federal funding for the project might be possible through U.S. Rep. James Clyburn's efforts, said Peeples. The town council hopes the site will provide business opportunities for the surrounding neighborhood.

COLIGNY

Town manager Steve Riley hoped a revitalized Coligny-Pope Avenue area would help the area play host to large events. That in turn could bring in more foot traffic and encourage shopping, he said.

"Take an event like Wingfest," said Riley of the island's annual festival. "Why can't a Wingfest be more than two hours of beer and wings? Why can't it be the thing that brings you downtown and then encourages you to go out and wander around?"

SHELTER COVE

The island already has arts facilities, but the council says those aren't being fully used. Peeples wants the town to think globally, possibly combining business sponsorships to create a multi-use facility that could attract world-class performers.

HONEY HORN

Enhancing educational facilities would mean additional opportunities for research and higher education, said Riley. He hopes those opportunities will entice young professionals to move to the island.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Today the council will discuss the practical side of these plans. It wasn't clear how they would be funded, but the mayor wasn't deterred.

"Just because it's hard doesn't mean we shouldn't do it," he said.