Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Bell Cam BY CHUCICChOMER Of The Gameeock staff The Carolina Community will honor the 199th anniversary of our country this Friday at the informal dedication of the new multi purpose recreational lodge at Bell Camp's fourth annual July 4th celebration. The festivities will last from..10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with fireworks, old fashioned games, a movie and gener#1 good times being featured. About 1,500 are expected to join in the celebration, according to Director Phil Lownes. R. G. Bell Camp, located 13 miles from the USC campus just off S.C. Highway 12 is the University owned and operated recreational area for students. Generously The grounds of the new come BELL ( fo T14E FOUlRTI IFIR Th E E gruns of\ e BRING BELL(E To Celet given to USC in 1960, it remained sparsely used until 1972 when Phil Lownes was made full-time director of the camps. At that time, the South Carolina Recreational Commission and Lownes originated a five year expansion plan that would improve the camp's facilities in hopes of increasing their potential use by students. Phase 1 of the plan was designed to construct three athletic fields on 15 acres of the camp, to clean up existing cabins and improve the playground area. Phase 2 saw the completion of three new tennis courts and the purchase of badly needed recreational equipment such as canoes, basketballs, archery sets, lodge at Bell Camp receive last minut to AMP AtKUAL FOURTH OF 5 R?TAT 1:00 VING DURING THE WORKS AFTER DAF /IE AFTER THE FIRE YOUR OWN I SSIONS WILL BE AVAIL irate 4th etc. Phase 3 dealt with expanding and remodeling the present all purpose lodge which hadn't been renovated since its initial con struction in 1953. According to Lownes the remodeling was essential to meet county electrical and fire standards as well as to furnish the Carolina Community with a larger, attractive and more useful recreational center. The new lodge will be expanded to six rooms: a game room, lounge, kitchen, concession area and two bathrooms. The game room will house the table games such as pool, footsball, and ping pong. Its flexibility also Vllows it to serve as a movie theatre, concert hall or dance area. johinny DrummIngs e finishing touches. C 0 C russell house = DAY WORKS PICNIC ABLE ~tL The spacious interior of the new the public July 4. The lounge will house the dining room, complete with plush fur niture, TV, and fireplace. The kitchen has been moder nized with the addition of a new drop-in stove, refrigerator, and enormous amounts of extra counter and cabinet space. New tile bathrooms have been installed that are designed to accomodate wheelchairs and the like. Also, there are two large fireplaces and an outside patio located just behind the lodge with grills and tables furnished to give the atmosphere of an outdoor cookout with the comfort of being in-adoors. A'- fou skylights have been built to "catch the evening light, keeping the lodge lit to 9 p.m. as well as to make the building cooler," Lownes said. Phase 4 and 5 of the expansion plan, scheduled for completion within 18 months, include the erection of a new maintenance shop and bathhouse on the premises. "We hope to have all major facets of the lodge completed when it is dedicated thiq 4th of July," Lownes said. "The bathrooms will not be totally completed but will be operational in time for the celebration." The celebration will consist of putt-putt tournaments, volley ball matches, inner tube, canoe and sack races, pie eating, egg tossing, greased pole and watermelon contests in the afternoon, a tremendous fireworks display * UT Gets I Fromn Page 1 would look into the situation but that it would depend on how long ago the apartment had been painted." Other problems expressed by UT residents included rent increases and a lack of available parking area near the apartments. Smith, who had been paying $120 for summer rent, said the University was raising rent to $130. "They say the rent from these apartments built Bates West and Cliff apartments. I can understand an increase because of utilities but what about the other apart ments?" When Smith first moved into the apartment, he had to sign a con tract which he said made no mention of an additional s10 fee for summer rent because of air con ditioning. Housing told Smith he could not pay his rent until he had signed the new contract providing for the increased cost. "Really, the only thing that gets me is that they are upping the rent and they haven't explained it. They haven't shown us where our rent is going and for what." "'Parking is ridiculous," he added. "There are about 50 spaces for 181 families." Bel Camp lodge will be ready for early in the evening and a free movie later that night. The free movie is "The Great Race," a hilarious comedy starring Jack Iemmon, Tony Curtis, Peter Falk, and Natalie Wood. It all adds up to a day of fun and relaxation whether you're swimming, participating in games with your friends, or just resting under a tree drinking a beer. "We're placing emphasis on enjoying yourself without paying a lot," Lownes said. "BelD Camp is a place to relieve your hostilities by playing volleyball against your professor, to make new friendships or just rekindle old relationships." The celebration formally begins at 1 p.m. with the commencement of the games but will be open all morning for early comers. When it's dark enough, the fireworks will start, with the film scheduled to begin after the completion of the fireworks. Even if it rains, the planned activities will continue without interruption. A van service will run from the Russell House to Bell Camp every hour on the hour for those -who prefer not to 'drive. The easiest route to Bel Camp for those who do drive is to take Gervais Street from campus to Trenholm Road, take a right off Trenholm onto Forest Drive, take a left at the first stoplight which is Percival Road, drive 5% miles down Percival Road until you see the sign on the left that says Bell Camp. np;ovements Horton, too, expressed concern about the parking situation. She said that as of July 7, work was to begin in the UT area for additional parking. The large hill in the area was to be used for this purpose. Instead, maintenance recently came and planted sod and shrubs on the hill. It looks nice, she said, but~ doesn't help the' parking situation. Cliff Koon, a resident manager for the UT area, said that overall things seem to be changing. "I'm not sure things get done sooner," he said. "It appears to me that work planned for a long time is just beginning to get started." Better communication between the studentae at UT and housing officials seems to be one answer to the problem. But some residents say that because of school work they haven't enough time to spend at meetings. Questionnaires con cerning needed work seem to be of great use, they feel.' Responsibilities in maintenance are being felt on both sides now and perhaps as conditions improve and the apartments become nicer places in which to live, greater care will be taken by both parties to keep UT in the best possible condition.