(WSPA) – From January of 1963 to today, District 25 has focused on expanding home ownership and revitalizing the Augusta Road corridor at Interstate 85.
Creating Greenville County’s first urban development district, District 25 is now celebrating 60 years.
“60 years is phenomenal,” Greenville County District 25 Councilman Ennis Fant said. “We want to look at our past, it was a struggle. We didn’t get where we are by accident. It was a lot of hard work by a lot of people. We still have a lot of work to do with regards to education, health, and affordable housing so we want to chart out our goals and aspirations for the future and bring the entire community together to make that become a reality.”
District 25 is the last minority-majority district in Greenville County. On Tuesday morning, they met to celebrate their rich history.
“Being a primarily minority resident living district it was important to know that those that were before us stayed true to the mission and the history and the legacy,” Vice President & COO of Upstate Circle of Friends, George Singleton said.
Those who attended said they want to celebrate throughout the year, and every day going forward, those who have paved the way for the youth in the community.
“I definitely believe rich history is something that kids need to know,” CEO & Director of T Motion Dance and Afterschool Teressa Mattison said. “If you don’t know the history you are bound to repeat it.”
In celebration of growth and a greater economic impact, District 25 believes the people are most important.
“Oh, it’s so important because if we didn’t have our partners and the members in the community, that’s the most important because they’re still here and the ones who have been here since the beginning and can share the history, they are very important so we can keep moving forward,” President & CEO of Upstate Circle of Friends, Deloris Pinson said.
District 25 leaders said they’re looking forward to a bright future, empowered for change.
This area is one of 12 districts in Greenville County. As redistricting has been a topic with County Council recently, Councilman Ennis is determined to keep the minority a majority in his district.