GEORGETOWN & WILLIAMSBURG COUNTIES, SC (June 4, 2025)— The Open Space Institute (OSI) and the YMCA of Coastal Carolina have announced the launch of “Pool on Wheels,” a free water safety initiative for children in Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties. The program—which launched June 2 and will be celebrated at a press event June 5—is a key component of the OSI-led Black River Initiative, which has created new public recreational access to the river.
Introducing the Innovative Pool on Wheels Program
The initiative features a custom-built, above-ground “Pool on Wheels” that will travel between community sites throughout Williamsburg and Georgetown Counties, with the YWCA of Coastal Carolina providing free swim lessons to children who otherwise have no access to a local public pool. The effort will help prepare residents for the expanded river access and outdoor recreation opportunities that will be available with the opening of Black River State Park and other community parks along the river. OSI secured funding and convened partners to make the program a reality.
“This program is much more than swim lessons—it’s preparing kids for the tremendous access to nature that’s coming soon with the opening of these new public parks,” said Erin Pate, Development & Community Relations Coordinator, OSI. “In rural areas like western Georgetown County and Williamsburg County, where there currently are no public pools, we are meeting people where they are to make sure every child learns to enjoy the water safely.”
Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages one to four, and the problem is especially acute in underserved rural areas where access to swim safety programs is limited. The new “Pool on Wheels” addresses this gap by delivering swim instruction on-site at local schools and recreation centers.
OSI, one of South Carolina’s leading land conservation organizations, is championing the Black River Initiative to create a network of 13 parks along 70 miles of the scenic Black River. This inspiring effort is creating much-needed riverine public access and recreation opportunities, including South Carolina’s first new state park in two decades: Black River State Park, which is anticipated to open this spring.
The program was made possible through collaboration between OSI, the YMCA of Coastal Carolina, Williamsburg and Georgetown Counties, Aqua Pools (the pool designer and builder), and was supported by the Tamsberg Family Foundation, the Rebecca C. Parsons Foundation, and many other generous private sources.
A Williamsburg County YMCA post on instagram reads: Our new Pool on Wheels is being assembled at the Andrews Rec Center! This portable pool will be in several locations in Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties teaching kids to swim for free this summer. Incredible donors from the Parsons Foundation, Tamsberg Family Foundation, and a Charleston philanthropy group, as well as partnerships with Open Space Institute, Georgetown County, and Williamsburg County came together to make this possible.
Local News Via - MyrtleBeachSC.com
