From the fields of Carrier Park to the paths through Swannanoa Greenway, local parks give us space to commune with nature and create community. So when the City of Asheville approved funding back in March to develop a comprehensive parks and recreation plan, community need was the goal and community input was the name of the game for phase one.

The plan, called Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks, is being developed to inform and steer the next 10+ years of planning and decision-making for Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR). Now the department is putting out the call for your feedback, so let's look at the plan's next steps and how you can contribute.

Just a phase (or three)

The first phase of Recreate Asheville is to assess the community's needs. Phase one runs now through this winter and involves focus groups with stakeholders and a citywide survey + public workshops. Once the needs have been determined, phase two will consist of drafting recommendations for the City and sharing them with the public and City advisory groups — phase two is expected to last from this winter to the spring of 2024.

Once draft recommendations have been finalized, APR will develop a strategic action plan to present to the City Council for adoption — aiming for the summer of 2024.

Speak your mind

APR is hosting four open house workshops in October to give you a chance to offer your ideas and feedback. There will be fun kids' activities at each workshop, and you can get a transit voucher if you take the ART bus.

Thursday, Oct. 5, 5-7 p.m. at WNC Nature Center
Friday, Oct. 6, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center
Monday, Oct. 9, 2-6 p.m. at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
Thursday, Oct. 12, 5-7 p.m. at Carrier Park
(Spanish language interpretation and translation services will be available.)

Even if you can't attend in person, you can give your thoughts in the online survey now through Monday, Nov. 20 — or keep an eye out for the APR team at local farmers markets, festivals, and park events as they gather community comments.