How will Asheville city parks look in the future? Give input on Carrier, Azalea, more
ASHEVILLE - Visitors to city parks may have noticed new signs dotting greenspaces, playgrounds and community centers around town, a call to action in gold, green and blue: "What do you want to see?"
It's the kick off to Asheville Parks and Recreation's updated comprehensive plan, which will guide the department's facilities, parks and programming for the next 10-15 years.
“Walton Street Park, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, Azalea Park and many of Asheville’s other unique parks, greenways and recreation complexes are where our community connects and makes memories,” said D. Tyrell McGirt, director of Parks and Recreation, in a Sept. 25 news release from the city.
“Collaborating on a plan to guide recreation programs, sports and leisure spaces and parks for future generations is an important opportunity for Ashevillians to create a long-term vision and help inform how projects are prioritized to meet the modern needs of our city."
In March, Asheville City Council approved a $238,000 contract with Design Workshop Inc. for development of the comprehensive plan. Dubbed "Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City's Parks," among its goals, the plan will allow the city to assess current and future community recreation needs, promote new ideas and partnerships and prioritize recreation programs and capital improvements.
Public input to shape the future of the city's 65 public parks, playgrounds and open spaces began in the summer with a community needs assessment, Phase 1 of the project, a process that will stretch into the winter. It includes a citywide survey, public workshops and small group discussions — intended to determine the gap between the community's vision and current capabilities, Parks and Recreation spokesperson Christo Bubenik said.
Drafting of the plan is anticipated to last into the spring, with strategic action plan development and adoption slated for summer 2024.
The department's last comprehensive plan was developed and adopted in 2009. Since that time, Bubenik said, the department has seen significant change. Not only in population growth, demographics and demand, but in the department structure itself; responsibilities like public arts management, greenway planning and care of several large city facilities have been moved elsewhere.
Asheville Parks and Recreation's first and only other comprehensive plan was released in 1998.
What kind of changes could be coming to Asheville parks?
While he encouraged people to "think big" in terms of creative ideas and bold opportunities, Bubenik said, "the reality is priorities are constrained by resources including funding and available space.
Asheville parks date back to 1890, and aging infrastructure means new additions must be balanced by taking care of the assets they already have, he said, which means repairing roofs, furnaces, drainage systems, and other essentials that can’t always be “seen” in the same way as a new playground or sports complex.
"We are building on the creativity and hard work of our predecessors, not just looking from the present forward," Bubenik said. "The Recreate Asheville planning process also looks at policies, procedures, and programs that were built years and even decades ago through a modern equity lens with the focus of building on wins and learning from misses to create a strong, healthy and happy place to live for everyone."
How can Asheville community members weigh in?
Take the survey:
Where: RecreateAsheville.com
When: Through Nov. 20
People are also invited to share ideas at drop-in community workshops throughout October:
Oct. 5, 5-7 p.m., at WNC Nature Center on 75 Gashes Creek Road.
Oct. 6, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center on 285 Livingston St.
Oct. 9, 2-6 p.m., at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center on 121 Shiloh Road.
Oct. 12, 5-7 p.m., at Carrier Park on 220 Amboy Road (Spanish language interpretation and translation services available at this workshop).
Complimentary transit vouchers are available to attend a workshop via Asheville Rides Transit buses, and can be requested by contacting [email protected] or calling 828-259-5800. Department staff are also scheduled to meet people at farmers markets, festivals and ongoing programming to continue gathering input.
Community members can track progress throughout the process through Asheville Parks and Recreation's monthly newsletter and on RecreateAsheville.com.
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email [email protected] or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville City Parks seeking input on future plan
