Happening Now

On February 1, City of Asheville officials announced that the outdoor pool inĀ Malvern Hills Park will not open this summer. During the poolā€™s 2023 inspection, Buncombe County Environmental Health inspectors recommended Asheville Parks and Recreation (APR) staff proactively assess and address maintenance needs that could impact community safety in future years. While APR aquatics professionals were able to safely keep the facility operational through last summer, the pool can no longer be repaired.

APR hosted a meeting at Lucy S. Herring Elementary School on February 21 from 5:30-7 p.m. with a drop-in format that allowed more than 115 community members to meet City of Asheville staff and discuss in greater detail the process that led to this difficult decision.

AĀ 2015-2016 professional assessment of the 90 year-old pool concluded it ā€œhas seen its life useā€ and recommended ā€œnot to put more money in the current pool.ā€ More recently, multiple contractors indicated there is a high probability that with any significant repairs or even general maintenance, additional issues with existing infrastructure integrity are likely to be found which would trigger even greater investments in order for the pool to meet current codes. The pool required reinspection in the 2021 and 2022 operating seasons as antiquated filter drain covers and pumps were retrofitted to meet new operating standards for public pools.


Background

Malvern Hills Park opened as Horney Heights Park in 1922. Construction on the pool began in 1934 and was completed the next year using federal New Deal funding. City officials formally dedicated the park, pool, and bathhouse to the community on June 15, 1936.

When Recreation Park’s pool was sold in 1956, Malvern Hills and Walton Street parks housed the only public swimming pools in the city for the next 14 years. A new pool opened in Recreation Park in 1970.

In 1970, new walls were placed in Malvern Hills Park’s pool which reduced its size by seven inches. The same year, a filtration system was installed. Prior to this, the pool was drained and refilled once a week to ensure clean water. Federal Open Space funding provided money for extensive improvements in 1973 including a complete remodel of the bathhouse and additional deck space around the pool.

Professional assessments of APR pools in 2015-2016 concluded those in Malvern Hills and Walton Street parks had seen their life uses and recommended the City of Asheville plan for a replacement. Both pools’ infrastructure was deemed deficient. Recreation Park’s pool was found to be “in good shape.”

APR aquatics professionals kept all three community pools safely operational through the 2019 season with retrofits and short-term fixes; none of the pools opened in 2020 due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, City Council authorized construction of a new outdoor pool at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center which was completed in 2023.

Malvern Hills Park’s pool required reinspection in the 2022 and 2023 operating seasons as antiquated filter drain covers and pumps were retrofitted to meet new operating standards for public pools.

Following a request for bids in November 2023, multiple contractors indicated a minimum of $400,000 is needed for the pool to open at current North Carolina public swimming pool codes and that repairs are likely to uncover additional issues with existing infrastructure integrity, requiring even greater investments in order for the pool to open.Ā 


Supporting Documents


Contact Information

Asheville Parks & Recreation


Related Services

Register for parks & recreation programming such as camps and activities for children, teens, and adults.

Business Inclusion (ABI)

The Business Inclusion Office for the City of Asheville actively seeks to identify minority and women-owned businesses for an opportunity to participate as providers of goods and services to the city.

Athletics

Information about adult sports leagues and youth athletics programs offered by Asheville Parks & Recreation.

Enjoy Greenways

Explore an interactive map of the Asheville's greenways and learn how to use them for your recreation and transportation enjoyment.

Pools & Splasheville

Hours and information about Asheville's public pools and Splasheville, the free interactive splash pad play fountain in Pack Square Park.

Facility Search

Find Asheville parks, community centers, and pools near you. Search by location, filter by amenity, or view a list.

Community Events

Find upcoming special events, activities, programs, and camps in Asheville.

Related Departments

city of Asheville

Capital Management

The Capital Management Department (CMD) plans, budgets, designs and manages projects as well as maintains existing public facilities. CMD is made of two divisions: Capital Projects and Public Facilities Management. The Capital Projects team manages major construction projects including building renovations, parks and playgrounds, as well as transportation infrastructure. The Public Facilities Management [...]

summer camp rafters

Asheville Parks & Recreation

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) manages a unique collection of public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer programs related to wellness, education, and culture for Ashevillians of all ages.