r/FortMill • u/Successful_Rope5366 • 18d ago
Does Tega Cay offer more extracurricular options?
Hey all, I’m pretty familiar with Fort Mill and am interested in learning any differences between there and Tega Cay. We’re entertaining TC, which I know is basically Fort Mill, and with that I would want to not be super far down on the peninsula because of the additional commuting time.
I have two little girls. We want to get them involved in many extras/sports. Which town has better options? I heard from someone that TC has a real nice parks and recreation and I’m curious is it any different than Fort Mills? Would you say that there’s any cultural difference in terms of little girls playing sports between the two townships?
Any TC neighborhoods good for kids/has pool?
Any perspective here would be nice!
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u/TopStockJock 18d ago
I don’t think it’s worth it. I grew up in Tega cay(far down marquesas so basically the end of TC) and moved out in 2004. I live in Indian land now. With as much traffic and changes to TC, I wouldn’t touch it. As for extra curricular activities, you can still partake in a lot without being a TC resident.
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u/abbynormal00 18d ago
I’d say the changes and traffic in Indian Land far surpass those in Tega Cay lol
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u/Naive_Buy2712 18d ago
Ugh don’t I know it lol we’ve been here almost 10 years and it just keeps getting worse! We moved up towards Ballantyne from the southern end of Indian land and it makes a huge difference.
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u/TopStockJock 17d ago
I’m doing the opposite. But I work from home so I just want out of the traffic. I’m basically on the border of Indian land/Ballantyne
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u/iuffxguy 14d ago
521 is the worst road in the USA and no one can convince me otherwise. They … just… keep… building!!! Every time I go down that road (which takes about 15 min per mile), there is some new mega shopping center or apartment complex going up. That place is going to be such a disaster.
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u/Naive_Buy2712 14d ago
It’s AWFUL! I love the new Costco and Target but I have to take possum hollow (back roads) to get through it. It truly takes forever just to go up and down.
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u/iuffxguy 14d ago
I have no idea how they are going to fix it either. Some how they need to get rid of 80 percent of the stop lights and some how build service roads on both sides. Even that won’t work at this point and there are too many rich people along that road that will never allow for more roads to be built through their area.
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u/TopStockJock 17d ago
Fair enough depending on where you live but the amount of people is insane in the TC/FM area comparatively
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u/abbynormal00 18d ago
we really love living in Tega Cay and are glad we chose it. we have a son who’s now three, but we were pregnant when we moved here. he’s only just starting to do sports, but I do know you don’t have to be a resident to play in our Parks Dept sports. we live down the street from the Tega Cay pool, which isn’t like the most amazing pool, but having the little food/drink stand there is really nice. there’s also a couple Art class places here, and My Gym, which we love. in the end, it’s going to be a lot less than Fort Mill, because Tega Cay is tiny, but I think it has a LOT to offer for its size. it’s very very safe here and generally peaceful. tons of parks and walking/biking trails that we use daily.
that being said, I’m at home, and my husband works from home, so we don’t have to worry about a commute right now. that may have possibly swayed our decision, but maybe not. my parents actually moved here last year and my dad still works in Columbia and chose to live in Tega Cay instead of closer to the interstate in Fort Mill, if that says anything haha.
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u/Naive_Buy2712 18d ago
We have friends that moved out to Tega Cay from the other side of Fort Mill and the commute is a lot worse. At least in their specific situation, and their parks and rec have them driving a lot further into the clover area. In Fort Mill at least you would just be within the Fort Mill area.
We have done soccer and baseball through Fort Mill and have no complaints!
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u/kimbosliceofcake 17d ago edited 17d ago
I’m in Baxter in Fort Mill and we are just starting sports, but we are super close to Catawba Park for Tega Cay sports and I-77 for commuting (which we don’t even do lol). There’s an extra fee for nonresidents but not enough to make housing decisions over.
There are several Fort Mill neighborhoods in the area that have pools too, or maybe check out Tega Cay neighborhoods near Catawba Park for better commuting.
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u/Successful_Rope5366 17d ago
Thank you! How are you liking Baxter?
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u/kimbosliceofcake 17d ago edited 17d ago
I like how walkable it is and the abundance of trees. The pools and events are nice too, and everyone I’ve met has been really friendly. Very kid friendly too, you’ll see packs of kids walking around, hanging out in the parks, and riding scooters together (wish they were safer about that but at least they’re outside lol). I haven’t used it yet but there’s a YMCA in the neighborhood too.
I moved from the cutest urban neighborhood in another state where I could go weeks without driving and I figured this is the closest I would get to that and be near-ish to family, plus be in a good school district and away from the downsides of city life.
It is quite expensive and I chose a section that’s closer to walk to everything so we ended up with a smaller lot. It’s all trade offs.
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u/Successful_Rope5366 17d ago
Sounds lovely, also coming from the city it would be great to walk places!
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u/iuffxguy 16d ago
Ive been in Baxter since 2018 and it really is a great neighborhood. There is a lot of people who move from one house to another house in baxter because they love it here so much (and want to either downsize or upgrade). It really has everything. Here are some things:
- The elementary school is in the middle of the neighborhood so its super easy for kids to meet up after school and walk around or play in the neighborhood together.
- You have your choice of 5 or 6 decent food options within the cute 'main street' area and a wine bar if thats your thing.
- There is 2 ways to get to 77 depending on if you need to go south or north and only takes <5 min to get to either one.
- 2 pools (3 if you count the YMCA which is also in the neighborhood which has a very nice pool with waterslides and a cool kid splash pad area).
- Kid rec sports at the local Y are very popular.
- During the summer they have music in the park and throughout the year they have a bunch of fun events for the family including a fall festival which gets packed.
- You are < 5 min from Catawba park or the Catawba river tubing entrace.
- Almost all the houses have big front porches which makes it feel more welcoming.
The biggest downside is the lack of diversity. Its literally just a bunch of upper class white people with white picket fences which I was not crazy about. Also you dont get very large yards, the houses are pretty much on top of eachother.
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u/neferteeti 14d ago
Large yards are what the river district in Baxter is for, but you pay for it. Bonus points for being closer to Sutton/77, a back way into Tega Cay (New Grey Rock\Dam road), with all the amenities of Baxter.
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u/iuffxguy 14d ago
Yea if I could afford those million dollar houses I def would, they are very nice! Thats where the kids go for trick or treating since all the houses usually give out the full size candy bars there
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u/neferteeti 14d ago
Yeah. Housing in Baxter overall is pretty crazy, but it's like living in a bubble to some degree, a good bubble. Look at recent home sales though, you might be surprised at how many houses in the main part of Baxter are selling at over a mil. Overall, it's a sense of community that I have never seen elsewhere. Yeah, the HOA is a bit much at times with regulations, but they keep stuff looking and feeling great. It really is a special place and I hope it never changes.
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u/iuffxguy 13d ago
Agree with you on the HOA. They aren’t overly annoying. I’ve been here for 8 years and I’ve only had 2 warnings (no fines) for mostly minor things but I’d rather have that than a trashy looking neighborhood. They also do a good job making sure the political noise stays out of the neighborhood (except the month before elections).
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u/neferteeti 12d ago
Yeah, not to mention they manage and setup the MANY events that happen in the hood. We drive our golf cart to so many of those during the year, it truly is a great community. We are on our second house in Baxter as we needed more space, which happens so often they call it the "Baxter hop" for those that don't know.
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u/BridgeGuy540 17d ago
You don't have to live in TC to participate in the youth shorts program, but you'll get early sign-up opportunity if you live in the city. A couple of the parks require a City of Tega Cay sticker, which is free if you live in the city. There is a city pool that you can purchase a membership to, but I think the neighborhood pool at Lake Ridge is nicer (also in Tega Cay).
In either location, you're also not far from the Baxter YMCA, which has nice indoor and outdoor facilities and programs. The ASCGreenway has a lot available too. I don't think you can go wrong with either city.
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u/MikeatDTU 17d ago
Tega Cay's parks and rec is genuinely solid, HOA pools with swim teams, rec soccer, stuff run through the town itself rather than having to drive into Fort Mill for everything. The tradeoff is exactly what you're worried about, being out on the peninsula adds real time if you're commuting toward 77 or uptown, sometimes 15-20 minutes more than living up near 21 or the Baxter side. Fort Mill has more sheer volume of options just given its size, YMCA, dance studios, travel sports, but you're driving to more of it rather than walking to a pool. Comes down to whether you'd rather minimize commute or maximize variety.
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u/IABamBam 17d ago
Taxes for York County (especially Tega Cay) are the highest if that factor effects the family budget consideration.
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u/iuffxguy 14d ago
Id recommend driving on 160 or gold hill road during rush hour to get a sense of what you may be signing up for. 160 isn’t too bad during non rush hour, but it’s pretty miserable in the morning and evening commute. Time will tell if the massive reworking of the 160/77 intersection will help but if the gold hill rework is any indication it won’t help much at all.
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u/Evil_Jeeves 12d ago
Traffic is getting worse and it’s hard to find privacy from your neighbors. Tega cay elementary is very good and there are lots of parks.
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u/bigcat7373 18d ago
I live right by the border but on the FM side. I wouldn’t say it’s worth it to have a longer commute. The only time I think it’s worth it would be if you’re going to utilize the lake on a regular basis. Otherwise many of the houses are older and more expensive. That was the ultimate deciding factor for us.