Cayce, SC (Paul Kirby) – The City of Cayce held a press conference on Monday morning to unveil their new city brand which reflects where they are in the process of revitalizing their entire community and its change in attitude. Right now, in Cayce, it’s clearly Time for Life.
Years ago, Cayce was known as a blue collar, working class suburb of the city of Columbia. For the most part, they wore that reputation proudly. They were without a doubt proud of their reputation as the folks who worked hard every day to make things happen. They were mechanics, carpenters, bricklayers, and dirt diggers; people who could make so much with their hands. These people wore uniforms with their names over their pockets, who came home with dirt and grease under their fingernails. The police had a certain reputation, deserved or not, and the politics of the area was good old boy, down and dirty, anything goes kind of rules.
It was a place where folks were born, raised their children, lived and died, without ever moving from the home they always lived in, on the block where they played as children. The lived on that same block where they met their girl, got married in the church around the corner, and enjoyed warm summer nights sitting on the porch watching the neighbor’s kids ride their bikes or play chase as they watched the fireflies light the twilight.
Fast forward to today. They are still the same proud people who have lived there all their lives. The kids still play in the streets safely, always under the watchful eye of the adults and the well-trained officers of the Cayce DPS. Grandmas still call out from the porch if the children get a little too bold or a squabble breaks out. Moms still share the Kool-Aid with everyone when they make it for theirs, and the churches are filled on Sundays with the folks that were baptized there as children. The sounds of pianos and choirs fill the air as people worship in whatever way they wish; often the way their grandma did, but now, sometime in a bit more contemporary fashion.
Now, however, there’s something a little different. There’s a new attitude at the city hall. There's a mayor and council with a zeal to provide a great quality of life. The neighborhoods still have the people who build things with their hands, but mixed among them are the doctors, lawyers, engineers, and even the students who attend any of the nearby universities. There are new apartment dwellers, young families are buying and renovating the small homes of the avenues. Others are building expensive town homes along the river where the views are magnificent and the sidewalks connect straight to the Riverwalk. It’s some of the most expensive property in the county, and they are all neighbors, sharing the joy of living in Cayce.
The parks are all improved, the Riverwalk is a treasure enjoyed by thousands, there’s a tennis and fitness center, a historic museum, an improved boat ramp to access the river, and the headquarters of a huge corporation. Just across the interstate there’s the county’s Saxe Gotha Industrial Park, home to hundreds of good, high paying jobs for the new people who’ve moved into the area. There’s the Timmerman Trail, a great place to stroll when the alligators are staying in for the day.
There are great places to eat, drink, and be merry to any hour, as long as you behave yourself. There's wings, steaks, seafood, and homemade pastries, or the old favorites that are best eaten hot, fresh, and now! There’s beehive brick mounds to explore and a Bier Garten where you can enjoy craft brews that pops up several times a year.
Cayce is transformed, yet it’s the same. Cayce is truly a place for everyone to live, work, play; it’s a place where it’s Time for Life! Today, with a total city rebrand, they just made that official; it is Time for Life in Cayce!
From this point forward, you’ll see new signs, new shirts, hats, and visors, new logos on their cars and trucks, all locally developed and designed by people and companies right here in the Midlands, and in Cayce. No New York firm was hired, no heavy hitters from Atlanta were consulted, Cayce was reborn where it should have been; on the banks of the Congaree!
Watch this video as Mayor Elise Partin explains the change of branding, logos, and certainly the change in attitude.
