Ravenel Hall and sports field now open to community after renovation

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Ravenel Hall and the baseball/softball field just steps away are back open to the community after a massive renovation.

Mayor Stephen Tumbleston says their population is growing slowly but steadily, so investing in community spaces is necessary.

“It just kind of all morphed into realizing that we need to do better,” Tumbleston said. “We’ve got more people wanting to use this now, our population is growing, and they are expecting these kinds of facilities, so that’s how it turned out to be just a wonderful re-vamp of a great, old facility.”

Ravenel Hall, located at 5700 Conners Street, is 30 years old, so Tumbleston says the renovation was needed to remain an appropriate event space and polling place in the community.

The exact project cost is still pending, but it’s over $1.6 million and the money came mostly from the American Rescue Plan Act and South Carolina Parks and Recreation. The town doesn’t charge a municipal tax, meaning taxpayers won’t foot any part of the bill for these renovations.

Ravenel native and former school teacher Maybelle Youngblood says kids in the area don’t have many places to go and believe projects like this are crucial for the youth.

“It gives the kids an opportunity to grow up, so that they will be able to have something and tell their own children that Ravenel has really grown to be a beautiful and respected community,” Youngblood said.

The upgraded baseball/softball field that now has a concession stand and restroom building is the official home field to the Navigators of the Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. The field is also open to local families to take advantage of. Additional parking was also part of the renovation.

The project’s completion did have some delays due to weather and materials, but is expected to be within the budgeted over $1.6 million.

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