City of Asheville Introduces Unified Design for French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery Project

City of Asheville Introduces Unified Design for French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery Project

Following six months of extensive community collaboration to rebuild after Tropical Storm Helene, the City of Asheville introduced a unified design concept for the French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery project, synthesizing thousands of resident voices into a single, cohesive vision.

How to View the Design

You can view the design concept through several channels:

Digitally: View an overview plan, slideshow and a video presentation
On-Site: Informational banners will be posted along the greenways and throughout parks along the French Broad Riverfront. Printed take-home versions will also be available at Asheville Parks & Recreation community centers.
Public Meeting Presentations: The project team presented the design concept at a joint meeting of the People & Environment and Infrastructure recovery boards, as well as a City Council Worksession on Policy Finance & Infrastructure, on Tuesday, June 23, which are available to replay on the City of Asheville’s YouTube channel.

Tell us your thoughts! Leave a comment on the design concept.

Next Steps: Focused Engagement

In September, the City will host additional input opportunities to focus on optimizing specific elements rather than altering the broader programming layout. In the meantime, the project team continues to develop and refine the design plans.

The design phase is planned to last into early 2027 and will be followed by a phased construction approach on a timeline that is to be determined. Public access will be maximized throughout the duration of the project, allowing as many amenities and features as possible to be open for public use.

Reflecting the Community’s Voice

Following catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Helene in 2024, the City launched a multi-phase community engagement effort to shape the future of the parks, recreation areas, and public spaces along the French Broad Riverfront. The process began in late 2025 with residents sharing their foundational vision and needs for the recovery area. These insights directly informed three distinct design concepts released in February with additional community input. Both engagement phases drew feedback from thousands of community members via open houses, focus group sessions, pop-up events, and online surveys that have shaped the unified concept.