Happening Now

Following a robust and productive first wave of community engagement, the City of Asheville is moving into the next phase of the French Broad Riverfront Parks Project and the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Project. 

Join the Project Teams at a Community Design Workshop on February 28, 2026

This event offers a first look at how the project teams have translated the community’s priorities into visual plans for a more resilient riverfront.

• When: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• Where: A-B Tech Community College in the Ivy Building at 9 Genevieve Circle

• Format: Drop-in; come whenever it's convenient for you. Short presentations will occur at the top of each hour for the French Broad area project and at the half of each hour for the Azalea area project. 

• Parking: Free parking is available at the meeting location, which is accessible on the S4 ART bus route. Complimentary transit vouchers are available to attend via ART buses. Please contact neighborhoods@ashevillenc.gov to request one.

Attendees have the opportunity to walk through various stations showcasing “concept alternatives”—artistic and technical visualizations—of the proposed park layouts and infrastructure repairs. The project teams are asking the public for feedback to shape the preferred concept designs.

Activities for children, light refreshments, and Spanish language interpretation will be provided.
 

Additional Ways to Participate

The City of Asheville is committed to ensuring everyone has a chance to weigh in, even if they cannot attend the design workshop on February 28.

• Online Feedback: A digital presentation of the concepts and a feedback survey will be available on the official French Broad Riverfront Parks and Azalea Parks and Infrastructure project pages starting February 28 and ending March 16.

• Pop-Up Events: Keep an eye out for smaller “pop-up” engagement stations at local events and community hubs in early March. Dates and locations will be posted to the French Broad and Azalea project pages soon.

• Focused Discussions: A series of meetings to gather feedback on identified topic areas for both projects will be held in early March. Stay tuned for details.
   

Reflecting the Community’s Voice

The design concepts being presented are the direct result of input gathered during the initial engagement phase in late 2025. During that period, residents shared their needs regarding park amenities, accessibility, and environmental restoration following catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Helene in 2024. See the full engagement summary from 2025 engagement here. 

View Presentation Boards from the Asheville Riverfront Recovery Open House held on December 10, 2025:

• French Broad Riverfront Recovery Project Open House Presentation Boards - A
• French Broad Riverfront Recovery Project Open House Presentation Boards - B
• French Broad Riverfront Recovery Project Open House Presentation Boards - C
• Asheville Riverfront Recovery Open House Open House Intro Presentation Boards
• Asheville Riverfront Recovery Open House Activity Presentation Boards

See the Neighborhood Access tab on this page for information about the temporary Gashes Creek Bridge replacement and any traffic control measures related to traffic volume in the area. 

Project Background

On September 27, 2024, Tropical Storm Helene caused catastrophic damage to the region. Areas closest to the waterways were hardest hit with flooding, including the area historically dubbed as “Asheville’s Playground” that is home to recreation facilities and important transportation infrastructure along the Swannanoa River and Azalea Road. City-owned assets addressed in this project include but are not limited to:

• Gashes Creek Bridge and Dam

• Recreation Park (including public swimming pool and bathhouse)

• Outdoor Recreation Facility (formerly Mama T’s)

• John B. Lewis (JBL) Soccer Complex Building 

• Azalea Road East

• Azalea Dog Park

Project Area Map

Funding and Overall Recovery Strategy

The City of Asheville is sequencing recovery projects strategically to ensure an efficient and effective rebuilding process.

Cost recovery through federal disaster relief funding programs is essential in making this project possible. The City of Asheville seeks to accomplish this primarily through the FEMA Public Assistance Program, with significant supplemental funding from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) program. Additional funding sources may include the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, grants from other agencies or partners, and local capital fund dollars. The kick off of the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery project follows RFQ postings for rebuilding the French Broad Riverfront, repairs to the Municipal Golf Course, and a project to improve water treatment plants. Alongside these relatively complex projects, smaller repairs are being made to other City-owned parks, streets, and facilities. Active examples include roof repairs to the Municipal Building and Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and an assessment of Historic Biltmore Village street lights damaged by the storm. 

In conjunction with storm recovery efforts, the City continues to advance its Capital Improvement Plan as well as bond projects. The integration of these initiatives ensures a coordinated effort to strengthen Asheville’s infrastructure and economic stability.

For more information on storm recovery in Asheville, visit ashevillerecovers.org.