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. Residents are invited to a drop-in design workshop to view multiple design concepts and visualizations shaped directly by public feedback.
Join the Project Teams at a Community Design Workshop
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.
Community members can explore different ideas for the parks’ and public infrastructure’s repairs, adjusted layouts, enhanced environmental resiliency, and updated recreation offerings at several work stations set up with drawings and visualizations to imagine what is possible in these reimagined spaces. The project teams want community feedback to create the best public spaces for our city.
Activities for children, light refreshments, and Spanish language interpretation will be provided.
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 here.
“We heard you, and now we want to show you how the community’s feedback is taking shape,” says D. Tyrell McGirt, Asheville Parks & Recreation Director and Staff Liaison to the Helene Infrastructure Recovery Board. “This next phase of engagement is about helping us narrow down our plan for a resilient, vibrant riverfront that aligns with the people who use these spaces every day.”
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 websites.
- 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.
Background
In September 2024, the region experienced catastrophic damage due to flooding from Tropical Storm Helene, which heavily impacted areas closest to waterways. This severe weather completely submerged over 200 acres of parks, recreation amenities, public facilities, and the greenway network along the French Broad Riverfront. Similarly, areas along the Swannanoa River and Azalea Road also sustained major damage to recreation facilities and vital transportation infrastructure, including Recreation and Azalea parks, and the Gashes Creek Bridge and Dam. The two recovery projects will restore the storm-damaged parks and public infrastructure system along Asheville’s riverfront recreation areas.
Cost recovery for these projects is essential and is sought primarily through federal disaster relief programs, including:
- FEMA Public Assistance Program
- Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) program
- Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
- Additional funds may be supplemented by other grants and local capital funds
Timeline
After the upcoming Design Workshop, the project teams will use feedback received to build refined, single concepts to present to the community later this year. The design phase for both Azalea and French Broad projects is planned to last through 2026 and into early 2027 and will be followed by a phased construction approach on a timeline that is to be determined.
Public access to these spaces will be maximized throughout the duration of the projects, allowing as many amenities as possible to be open for public use. Depending on the severity of damage, some parks, greenways and facilities may be stabilized enough to allow temporary reopening.
About the Project Teams
The Azalea Parks and Infrastructure project is led by OLIN, an international landscape architecture, comprehensive planning, and urban design firm. The French Broad Riverfront Parks project is led by Sasaki, a global design firm that brings expertise in landscape architecture, architecture, planning, and civil engineering. City staff is thrilled to team with these highly qualified teams and look forward to working with the community to build two successful projects that substantially revitalize Asheville’s riverfronts.