Dedication ceremony will honor the second longest-serving mayor in Lexington County history along the stretch of Platt Springs Road he shepherded for nearly three decades.

The Town of Springdale will host a public dedication ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026, to unveil the new “Mayor Pat G. Smith Memorial Road” sign along Platt Springs Road. The ceremony will take place at 2300 Platt Springs Road, with public parking available next door at 2310 Platt Springs Road. Residents, friends, and former colleagues of the late mayor are invited to attend.

The honor was made official earlier this year through House Concurrent Resolution H. 4920, sponsored by Representative Micah Caskey and adopted by the South Carolina General Assembly on February 10, 2026. The resolution requested that the South Carolina Department of Transportation designate the portion of Platt Springs Road in Springdale (from its intersection with Rainbow Drive to its intersection with Wattling Road) as “Mayor Pat G. Smith Memorial Road.”

Pat Smith served as Mayor of Springdale for nearly three decades, making him the second longest-serving mayor in Lexington County history. Beyond his service to the Town, he dedicated nearly fifty years to the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, a state agency for at-risk youth, leading the school as its agency head from 1998 until his retirement in 2025. His legacy of leadership and service also extended to the South Carolina Municipal Association, the Central Midlands Regional Council of Governments, the Central Regional Transit Authority, the Joint Water and Sewer Commission, the State Workforce Development Board, and the Richland-Lexington Airport District Commission. He also served a term as president of the South Carolina Association of Regional Councils.

Smith was the recipient of the Richard M. Kuffel Award for Excellence in Education, the South Carolina Icon Award, and the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary achievement and public service.

He passed away on July 15, 2025, surrounded by his family, with his wife Rosalie at his side.

“Pat Smith spent his entire adult life lifting up the Town of Springdale, Lexington County, and the young people of South Carolina who needed someone in their corner. He led with integrity, with humility, and he led with a steadfast compassion for others. As mayor for nearly thirty years and as a leader at the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School for nearly fifty; naming this stretch of Platt Springs Road for him ensures that every drive into Springdale is a reminder of what a life of true public service looks like.”

— The Honorable Micah Caskey, R-Lexington

“Pat Smith didn’t just serve Springdale; he shaped it. The neighborhoods, the parks, the infrastructure, and the partnerships that hold our town together carry his fingerprints. Every time we drive down Platt Springs Road, we’ll see his name and remember the standard he set: show up, stay humble, and always put the needs of the community first. Our family at Springdale Town Hall is honored to make this dedication, and we’re grateful to Representative Caskey and the South Carolina General Assembly for making it possible.”

— Juston Ricard, Mayor, Town of Springdale

The stretch of Platt Springs Road between Rainbow Drive and Wattling Road was selected because it runs directly past Springdale Town Hall and through the heart of the community Smith served. The Town of Springdale, in coordination with SCDOT, will install permanent signage at both ends of the corridor.