This is why you might not get in a popular Rock Hill region park during July 4th weekend
With the holiday weekend here, many people may not get in one of the Rock Hill region’s most popular parks.
Ebenezer Park staff recently announced measures to address the “unprecedented demand” the park has recently faced.
Ebenezer Park won’t allow more people in “once the park reaches full capacity. In addition, pedestrian traffic (walk-ins and bicycles) will no longer be admitted in the park when the park is at capacity. Park staff will admit patrons on a first-come first-serve basis until the park reaches full capacity” per a statement released on the Ebenezer Park Facebook page.
Ebenezer Park is a 26-acre attraction north of Rock Hill on the shores of Lake Wylie, which borders South Carolina and North Carolina.
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According to York County Public Information Officer Greg Suskin, the capacity of the park is based on the number of available parking spots.
The park has 182 regular parking spots plus six handicapped parking spots. Twenty-six additional parking spots are reserved for guests who rent one of the two pavillion spaces.
“I just know that (the park’s) concern was that the parking lots have filled up early in the day,” Suskin said. “And then, after it fills up, people will park all up and down Boatshore Road, going into people’s yards.
“And not only that, but they’ll parallel park all the way down the street, which, of course, is unsafe. Traffic was backing up down onto Mt. Gallant (Road), which is equally unsafe. And people were parking as far away as Pier 51 restaurant, which is a good bit further, and parking in that parking lot.
“So that was the issue, that it was just too slammed. I think Father’s Day weekend was the weekend that kind of broke all this. It kind of caused us to go, ‘we need to do something about this immediately.’”
Once the park reaches capacity, the park will close to all incoming guests. The only guests who will be allowed are those who reserved one of the pavillions.
To increase chances of entering the park, guests should get there as early as possible.
Suskin said the new parking rules will likely be enforced by the York County Sheriff’s Office.
“Considering that (the entry road leading into the park) is all private property, if people are parking in their yard, the private property owners would have to deal with that since that’s outside the park and outside of county property.”
Suskin said he expects the change to last through the summer until the park closes on Sept. 15 for renovations.
Another option
If Ebenezer Park is unavailable, there are other options in the region.
Those looking for access to Lake Wylie can head to Rock Hill Park, on India Hook Road. The 21-acre space was constructed in 2022 and is open from dawn to dusk.
