August 27, 2026

A Unified Vision for Azalea Park Recovery

The City of Asheville has introduced a unified design for the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery Project, providing the clearest picture yet of how the heavily damaged area could be rebuilt following Tropical Storm Helene.

The design brings together recovery work across Azalea Park, John B. Lewis Soccer Complex and surrounding City-owned property and infrastructure along the Swannanoa River. Rather than rebuilding each damaged facility separately, the unified approach looks at the entire area as one connected system, with a focus on recreation, transportation, river access and greater resilience to future flooding.

The design was shaped by extensive community engagement, including thousands of comments from residents and park users. Community priorities helped inform plans for athletic fields, trails and greenways, river access, playgrounds and other recreational amenities while also addressing infrastructure and flood resilience.

The unified design is an important milestone, but it is not the final construction plan. The City will continue refining individual elements as engineering, environmental review, permitting and funding work moves forward. Recovery of the Azalea area will take place over several years and will depend on a combination of local, state and federal funding.

The goal is bigger than replacing what was there before Helene: it is an opportunity to rebuild one of Asheville’s most important recreation areas in a way that better serves the community and is better prepared for the realities of the Swannanoa River.

Recovery Boards Continue Work on Asheville’s Long-Term Recovery

Asheville’s Helene Recovery Boards continued their work in July and August, digging into projects and policy questions that will shape the city’s long-term recovery. Recent meetings covered everything from housing and small business recovery to parks, infrastructure, resilience hubs and restoration of Asheville’s urban tree canopy.

Infrastructure and People & Environment Recovery Boards: At a joint meeting on August 25, members received updates on two major infrastructure projects. Staff discussed near-term restoration work in Biltmore Village, including repairs to brick sidewalks, curbs and landscaping designed to support the district’s recovery while maintaining its historic character. The boards also reviewed the 30% schematic design for the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery Project, including plans for ecological restoration along the Swannanoa River and the proposed removal of the Lake Craig Dam to reduce future flood risk. The boards heard public feedback on both projects but took no formal action.

Housing Recovery Board: On August 19, the board began shifting its focus from CDBG-DR funding allocations toward identifying Asheville’s remaining housing recovery needs. Members reviewed updated FEMA data on unmet housing needs and heard from the Buncombe County Long-Term Recovery Group about ongoing case management, temporary relocation assistance and home repair work. To learn more, get involved or request support visit their website...

People & Environment Recovery Board: On August 3, members discussed several projects aimed at making Asheville more resilient over the long term. The board received an update on the Urban Forest Master Plan, including strategies for restoring tree canopy lost during Helene, and reviewed work to identify and strengthen resilience hubs – trusted community locations that can provide resources and support before, during and after future disasters. Members also discussed early planning for the Azalea parks recovery effort and the importance of equitable community outreach.

Economic Recovery Board: On July 30, the board reviewed efforts to help Asheville businesses and the creative sector recover from Helene. Members discussed the Asheville Recovers Together and Optimus Ventures small business assistance programs, as well as ArtsAVL’s framework for long-term recovery of the local arts sector. The board also heard an update about the $30 million program for flood-affected commercial districts, intended to support rehabilitation, resilience and long-term stabilization in some of the areas hardest hit by the storm.

Together, the Recovery Boards are helping the City examine recovery from multiple angles and bring community perspectives into decisions about how Asheville rebuilds—not only addressing immediate damage, but identifying the investments and policy changes needed for a more resilient future.

City Council Advances Helene Recovery Work

Asheville City Council continued moving Helene recovery work forward during its July and August meetings, with actions supporting housing recovery, restoration of storm-damaged parks and other long-term rebuilding efforts.

At its July 28 meeting, Council approved an amendment to the City’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery agreement with the State of North Carolina, increasing funding for the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program to $22.2 million. The additional federal disaster recovery funding will help more Asheville homeowners repair and rebuild homes damaged by Helene.

Council also approved a contract to demolish storm-damaged facilities within the French Broad River parks system, an important early step toward restoring these heavily impacted public spaces and implementing the unified riverfront parks recovery plan.

At its August 25 meeting, Council received the unified design for the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery Project, highlighted above. The presentation gave Council an opportunity to review the community-informed vision and hear more about how the project will move from conceptual design toward engineering, funding and implementation.

Together, these actions reflect the continuing shift from immediate storm response toward the longer work of rebuilding Asheville’s homes, infrastructure and public spaces and making them more resilient for the future.

Got Questions About Recovery? We’re Here to Help.

Whether you’re wondering about storm debris, housing support, infrastructure repairs, or upcoming projects — we want to hear from you.

• Email us anytime at AshevilleRecovers@PublicInput.com
• Or use the question box on our engagement hub at ashevillerecovers.org

Your questions help shape what we share next — so don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.