‘Nature can be saved:’ North Myrtle Beach celebrates historic Ingram Dunes site
North Myrtle Beach community activists Damien Triouleyre and Jane Vernon embraced as city officials unveiled the Ingram Dunes Nature Area Thursday afternoon.
It’s been a near three-year battle to preserve the dunes after the coastal maritime forest, which sits at the corner of Hillside Drive and 10 Avenue South, was threatened with redevelopment. Triouleyre and Vernon said the ancient dunes will now remain a legacy for all to enjoy.
“When people feel strongly enough about it, nature can be saved,” said Triouleyre, who spearheaded an advocacy group to save the historic property. “This is such a precious piece of land, the highest relic dunes that we know of on the South Carolina coast.”
In 2016, the property owners, along with developers DDC Engineers, proposed construction of 31 single-family homes, which would have resulted in tearing out or replanting of trees, six of which are live oaks that are 24-inch caliper or larger.
Following the initial announcement of development, the duo held demonstrations and created a website and GoFundMe page to raise money for the site.
“There’s an awful lot of development, and it’s increasing every year,” Vernon said. “When it was clear development was going to happen here, we just kicked into high gear. This is just too good a place to turn into a house development.”
While advocates raised over $100,000, a $1.4 million contribution from the family of Charles Ingram and a grant of $500,000 from the S.C. Conservation Bank was instrumental in purchasing 7.24 acres of the 9.35 acre land. North Myrtle Beach also contributed $500,000 to the purchase.
“We can all agree that when the family of Charles Ingram stepped forward to announce that it would contribute $1.4 million to the purchase of this natural area, this was the turning point in all of our efforts,” Mayor Marilyn Hatley said. “Without the generosity of the family of Charles Ingram, we would not be celebrating here today.”
While the entire acreage couldn’t be preserved, the remaining 2.11 acres will be subdivided into seven lots to construct seven single-family homes along Strand Avenue, according to a news release the city issued in May.
While the journey to saving the dunes wasn’t always smooth, Hatley cited Triouleyre and Vernon for bringing the “unique value” of Ingram Dunes to the city’s attention.
“There were times in this process when they inspired us and there were times when they tried our patience, but they began this journey and they encouraged us all to persist in this journey, even when the potential for funding was dim,” Hatley said.
At the beginning of the process, the city tried to get funding to buy the entire site, but did not succeed. Property owners and the city continued discussions, and the owners offered the 7.24 acres, which include the dunes.
But Triouleyre and Vernon, who collectively donated $20,000 toward the preservation, said the fight was worth it to preserve a piece of land that carries a “palpable peace” that overcomes those who step foot on the land.
“The Grand Strand is one of the busiest development places in the country,” Triouleyre said. “It feels like saving the dunes has given new hope to saving other areas in Horry County, and that is a great legacy we hope to continue.”
This story was originally published October 24, 2019 at 4:59 PM.
