Exterior of Malvern Hills Park's poolhouse

Happening Now

Currently, this project is in the planning phase. The City of Asheville posted the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), inviting top aquatic design and architecture firms to outline their best ideas to meet the needs of the community. To ensure the selected firm can hit the ground running (or hit the water swimming, rather), Asheville Parks & Recreation will launch a community survey in March to gather ideas, preferences, and potential uses for the new pool. This is an opportunity to share what features and experiences you most want to see. The City of Asheville and the chosen design firm will use feedback from the survey to host in-person and virtual community engagement sessions, further refining ideas to design a space that reflects our community’s spirit.

Asheville voters overwhelmingly approved a general obligation (GO) bond referendum in November allocating up to $20 million for parks and recreation improvements throughout the city including a new pool at Malvern Hills Park. A new aquatics facility was identified as a priority in the Recreate Asheville 10-Year Plan.

Due to catastrophic damage to parks, streets, and other vital community infrastructure, the City of Asheville is sequencing community investment projects based on complexity, available resources, and staff capacity.

Background

The current pool has exceeded its useful lifespan and presents safety concerns. Replacing the pool is crucial to:

  • Ensure public safety: Mitigate risks associated with the current pool's condition and meet current building codes and safety standards
  • Improve accessibility: Provide a fully accessible facility compliant with ADA guidelines, ensuring inclusivity for all community members
  • Enhance recreational opportunities: Offer modern amenities and features to promote healthy lifestyles
  • Increase community value: Create a valuable asset that enhances the quality of life and attractiveness of our city

Opportunities for Input

The community engagement phase for the new pool is expected to start later this year. For more on construction project flow, check out this article.

Useful Links

Previous Updates

February 28, 2025

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Project Prioritization

City of Asheville projects are evaluated and prioritized based upon many criteria including public safety, economic growth and sustainability, affordable housing and community development, quality of life, and availability of funding sources, among others. A new aquatics facility was identified as a priority in the Recreate Asheville 10-Year Plan.

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Determine Funding Sources

Asheville voters overwhelmingly approved a general obligation (GO) bond referendum in November allocating up to $20 million for parks and recreation improvements throughout the city including a new pool at Malvern Hills Park.

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Community Engagement and Visioning

Community members, City of Asheville staff, and aquatics professionals work together to define expectations and develop a realistic vision for the new pool.

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Project Design

Professional project managers translate community engagement and visioning into a design that incorporates environmental compliance, building codes, cost estimation, and other requirements. The goal is to reflect the community’s views in balance with feasibility.

This is the most technical phase and may include complexities such as right of way acquisition, utility relocation, and multiple levels of review, which can cause setbacks to the original timeline.

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Project Construction

Upon design approval, the City of Asheville advertises and selects a construction firm. Once the construction contract is approved by City Council, construction can begin!

City staff stay in touch with community members about what to expect throughout construction. Projects often experience delays during the construction phase due to weather, unexpected discoveries, or supply chain and labor shortages.

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Project Completion

A new pool in opens Malvern Hills Park.

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Maintenance and Operation

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) executes a maintenance and operation plan to protect this new community asset for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

While the specific timeline is not finalized, this project is a top priority for the City of Asheville. A more detailed timeline will be shared in the near future, but designing and building a new outdoor pool – even on the site of a previous pool – is complex and will take time. For perspective, the community engagement, design and construction of the pool at Grant Southside Center took multiple years.

Contact Information

Pete Wall, Assistant Director

Asheville Parks & Recreation

pwall@ashevillenc.gov

(828) 259-5800