Following six months of extensive community collaboration to rebuild after Tropical Storm Helene, the City of Asheville is introducing a unified design concept for the French Broad Riverfront Parks Project, synthesizing thousands of resident voices into a single, cohesive vision.
How to View the Design
The community can view the design concept through several channels:
- 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.
- Digitally: View a video presentation or overview plans on the project web page, featuring an open comment window.
- Public Meeting Presentations: The project team presented the design concept at a joint meeting of the People and Environment and Infrastructure recovery boards, as well as the Policy Finance & Infrastructure Council Committee, on Tuesday, June 23. These presentations are available to replay on the City of Asheville’s YouTube channel.
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 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 and recreation system along the French Broad River. The process began in late 2025, where residents shared their foundational vision and needs for the recovery area. These insights directly informed three distinct design concepts released in February. 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.