Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR), like the community it serves, is constantly changing and evolving. In alignment with Asheville City Council’s 2036 Vision and current strategic priorities, the department is focused on Improving Core Core Services, Neighborhood Resilience, and Improving Public Safety. APR’s fall program guide reflects the department’s [...]
Asheville Parks & Recreation closes out Women’s History Month with a screening of short films at Tempie Avery Montford Community Center produced by women from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30.
Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.
City of Asheville fosters development of an APP to help first responders and our community Identifying a need SAFE PLUS MORE is an APP to respond to the mental health needs of our first responders, men and women who face incredible odds, intense job pressure and psychological stressors on a daily basis as part of their career. Those [...]
Community members are ditching phones, tablets, computers, and TV screens in favor of the comfort of tabletop board games, at least occasionally. In an age of hyperconnectivity, unplugging for a couple of hours seems like a revolutionary way to explore, connect, and discover. Sales of board games and puzzles have shot up over the past [...]
As warm days become more plentiful, gardners throughout the city grow increasingly impatient to sink their trowels into the soil. U.S. Department of Agriculture has proclaimed April as National Garden Month to celebrate the contributions of home, school, and community gardens in providing healthy food for the table, pleasant surroundings and recreational benefits for neighborhoods, and habitats for wildlife across communities.
Nature has a huge impact on health and wellness. Multiple studies point to cortisol, stress, and anxiety levels decreasing in a calm, green environment. If you’re looking for an alternative to a party highlighted by brews on St. Patrick’s Day, check out this volunteer opportunity from Asheville Parks & Recreation. Community members are [...]
Kids and teens are often encouraged to join sports teams to learn how to work with others, make friends, and stay active outside of school. However, athletic leagues also offer the advantage to foster cooperation and friendly competition for adults, too. Registrations for adult softball leagues are open through February 28. So, what [...]
Easy, creative office fitness activities can help break up the workday and provide a mental and physical boost to help you work smarter.
The City of Asheville has partnered with local organizations to host neighborhood cleanups over the next few weeks to keep litter off our streets and out of our streams. Lend a hand and enjoy physical and mental health benefits such as feeling a sense of accomplishment, getting exercise, enjoying fresh air, meeting new people, and all that comes with living in cleaner surroundings.
Volunteers make an immeasurable difference in our community by filling the gaps that public service agencies and nonprofit organizations can’t bridge on their own. From coaching youth sports and mentoring students to keeping trash out of the French Broad River and growing fresh food in community gardens, Asheville has plenty of opportunities to get involved.
Farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs provide opportunities to promote access to delicious, healthy foods and provide families with nutrition education. As trusted providers of accessible nutrition hubs and wellness opportunities, multiple departments within the City of Asheville have worked closely for years with local organizations to expand access to healthy food and locally made products from farmers, bakers, and others.
Biking and cycling can be more than a fun childhood pastime or eco-friendly hobby. May is National Bike Month, so celebrate the benefits of this versatile form of exercise that can be adjusted to different fitness levels and goals. There are many benefits of biking 30 minutes or more a day including [...]
Parents, grandparents, and caregivers looking for a unique outdoor wellness activity to enjoy with children in their lives can visit Asheville Parks & Recreation’s StoryWalk® trails at parks throughout spring.
Before running a long distance race, many people start with a Couch to 5K training plan. The nine-week plan was designed to take someone from a couch potato to running 5,000 kilometers (around 3.1 miles) or 30 minutes. The plan is successful for many people because it builds slowly without overwhelming those working towards an [...]
What’s the “dill” with pickleball? Lots of local picklers treat the sport like the bread and butter of their week. The national total of 4.8 million pickleball players is a 14.3% increase from 2020 and 39.3% increase from 2019 (1.36 million additional players over that two-year span). Since Asheville Parks & Recreation [...]
General financial knowledge, budgeting, and loan and credit management are important tenets of financial literacy. However, resources for assistance with tax returns are top of mind this time of year. If the thought of filing taxes yourself brings up anxiety, there are a few programs worth checking out.
When Ginny and Josh Yurich wanted to balance their kids’ screen time with more time spent outdoors, they found their greatest memories as a family and most successful parenting moments came from time spent outside. To spread thoughts, pictures, and words of encouragement, Ginny created 1000 Hours Outside. The organization encourages families [...]
Pollinator gardens are a recent concept. Reminiscent of victory gardens promoted during World Wars I and II, these gardens help supplement food supply and boost morale – but for butterflies, bees, moths, beetles, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. These animals perform the crucial ecosystem service of pollination, making it possible for food and [...]
To help understand the concept of daylight saving time, many of us were taught to “fall back, spring forward.” Although an hour is neither truly gained or lost during the year, the beginning of daylight saving time on March 13 can have an effect on your health. Good sleep habits are an element to success [...]
Modern-day living offers up plenty of distractions and the urge to overcommit. If the many demands on your time and energy leave you feeling that you never get a moment to yourself, you risk burning yourself out. Taking time out to relax is essential for your wellbeing, helping to combat anxiety and depression.
Some people want to drive faster when they’re in a red car. Blue light helps others stay alert. Longer periods of darkness during winter months leads to seasonal affective disorder for some individuals. While you may have heard similar claims about the effects of different colors on the mind and body, is there any scientific [...]
From awards to photos on social media, we generally like to celebrate success. Often, we forget the mistakes, missteps, and miscalculations that may take place along the way. For many, the secret of success is that it can be built on the culmination of lessons learned from defeat. Those who turn failure into success are all [...]
June is Great Outdoors Month and kicks off with Global Running Day and National Trails Day. Asheville’s growing network of greenways, natural surface trails, and scenic urban hikes act as a foundation of a vibrant hub for community members to connect with neighbors and explore the [...]
As the Asheville community reflects on the year that was 2021, many of us resolve to continue healthy habits, change some aspect of our behavior, accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise focus on self-improvement in the new year. Though the decision to make a life change can happen any time, studies have found a higher success rate among those who make the commitment as a New Year’s resolution.
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) usually shares wellness tips geared towards homo sapiens, but this week’s is for the dogs. Asheville has no shortage of community members who treat their dogs like family – celebrating accomplishments, feeding them well, and ensuring they have a valuable place in the pack. Pets can enrich an individual’s [...]
2022 is only five days old, but it’s a good time to assess early progress on your New Year’s resolutions. Research shows that setting small and measurable goals leads to higher success rates among participants who resolve to change some aspect of their behavior, accomplish a personal objective, or otherwise focus on self-improvement. If you aim to get more active this year, this could mean increasing time spent walking, in the fitness center, or dancing by five or 10 minutes each week until you reach your target.
Each September, community centers for older Americans celebrate the wellness, cultural, and social opportunities they provide. Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) has two such centers that specialize in recreation and leisure programming for community members who’ve reached the prime of life. Harvest House originally opened as a retail space in [...]