Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts City Council-Appointed Boards & Commissions
News & Current Events
Grant/Southside Community Day
Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts, ABIPA, Green Opportunities, East of the Riverway Sustainable Communities Initiatives and the Resident Council of Asheville Housing Authority will be hosting the annual Grant/Southside Community Day on Saturday, June 15, from 1-4pm at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr., Southside Center, located at 285 Livingston St.
The event includes games, music, information booths for all ages, inflatables, face painting, arts-n-crafts, food and more. Bring the whole family for an old fashioned community day of fun.
For information, contact staff at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr., Southside Community Center at 828-259-5483 or rshaw@ashevillenc.gov.
CITY OF ASHEVILLE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR 2013 BELE CHERE FESTIVAL
Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28
ASHEVILLE, NC – The City of Asheville invites the community to "Chere the Fun" by volunteering for the 2013 Bele Chere Festival Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28. The festivities are supported by scores of volunteers who contribute their time and talents to make the Bele Chere Festival a success.
Volunteer opportunities include working in the children's area, staffing information booths, assisting visitors in the Senior Oasis, and more. Volunteers who work at least one 3.5 hour shift will receive a free Bele Chere t-shirt and snacks during their shift. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.
Additional volunteer information and an interest form are available on the official Bele Chere website at www.belecherefestival.com or by calling (828) 259-5800.
Bele Chere is Asheville’s signature music and arts festival for 35 years. The event is produced by the City of Asheville in conjunction with the Bele Chere Board of Directors. The event is sponsored in part by Clear Channel Radio and Budweiser of Asheville. For more information, visit www.belecherefestival.com or call (828) 259-5800.
Riverside Cemetery gets the GIS treatment and a new website!
Riverside Cemetery website here
Riverside Cemetery city webpage here
Article/Blog about the Riverside Cemetery GIS
The City of Asheville’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department and IT Services are partnering to compile an entire online inventory of the Riverside gravesites that can be accessed via computer or even on a smart phone.
Riverside Cemetery is best known to many as the resting place of author and Asheville native Thomas Wolfe as well as other prominent local historical figures like Zebulon Vance, but another 14 to 15 thousand people have been buried on the 87 acre site in
the past century and a half. The City of Asheville is currently piecing together an intricate puzzle of archival material to pinpoint and identify every grave and build an interactive GIS map of Riverside Cemetery.
SUMMER PLAYGROUND & TEEN PROGRAMS
Weekly supervised summer recreation program at area community centers.
Program runs June 10-August 8
Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:30pm
Lunch and snack are provided daily
Summer Playground Program Locations:
- Burton Street: 254-1942
- Malvern Hills Park: 254-1942
- Montford: 253-3714
- Grant Southside Center: 259-5483
- Linwood-Crump Shiloh: 274-7739
- West Asheville-TR Program: 259-5483**
**West Asheville location is a specialized camp for
youth with disabilities. Please contact the number
above to receive additional information.
Summer Teen Locations:
- Stephens-Lee Recreation Center30 George Washington Carver St. - Call 350-2058
- Lindwood Crump Shiloh Complex 121 Shiloh Road - Call 274-7739
Download the Summer Playground & Teen Programs brochure.
RICHMOND HILL PARK
is a 180-acre park located in West Asheville on Richmond Hill Dr. A natural wooded park with views of the French Broad River, it offers nature trails for dog walking, hiking, trail running and mountain biking.
Richmond Hill also hosts a world class disc golf course. The 18 hole course, with its heavily wooded fairways and elevation change in abundance, will challenge even the best player’s game… while still allowing novice players the ability to have a great time playing disc golf in the woods.
Directions to the park may be found here.
French Broad River Park and Greenway
One of Asheville's most beautiful parks and greenways, the park meanders alongside the tranquil French Broad River and features a vast area of open green space with old trees, a wildflower garden, a paved trail, a gazebo, picnic tables and grills, an observation deck, and a small playground. The Dog Park features a one acre fenced and wood chipped yard for off-lease exercising and socializing your dog. Follow the links to our pet friendly facilities.
French Broad RIver Greenway
French Broad River Park / Dog Park
Azalea Park / Dog Park
WNC NATURE CENTER SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS 2013
Summer camps at the Nature Center are fun, educational experiences for all campers. Experienced teachers draw upon the Nature Center staff naturalist and the natural history collection to present a program designed to involve children in the wonders of the natural world. The classroom provides a headquarters for crafts, lessons and shelter from summer heat and thunderstorms as the children engage in exploratory activities throughout the Nature Center.
Each camp session offers a unique theme using both plants and animals to create fun learning activities encompassing the arts, sciences and social studies. As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, we celebrate the continuous promotion of making proper ethical choices for our environment! We will be including a second camp this year for Pre-K children called Pee Wee Camps, which will include parent-child participants each week beginning June 17th.
Go to wncnaturecenter.com for more information and to register for one of the 2013 Summer Camp Programs..
Grassroots Arts Program Grant Awards Announced / 16 Local Organizations Receive Over $45,000
The City of Asheville Cultural Arts Division is pleased to announce that 16 organizations in Buncombe County have been awarded 2013 North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Arts Program Grants. Collectively, the 16 awarded grants total more than $45,000.
Using a per capita based formula, the Grassroots Arts Program Grant provides funding for the arts in all 100 counties of the state. Grants are awarded to non-profit organizations whose purpose is to promote and develop diverse cultural arts programming in Buncombe County. Funding priority is given to qualified arts organizations, arts in education programs conducted by qualified artists, and other community organizations that provide art and cultural programs in the count. More about Grassroots Arts Program Grant Awards here.
Contact Basil Punsalan at 828-259-5552 or bpunsalan@ashevillenc.gov
City Services and Weather Update Links:
City of Asheville Home Page
City of Asheville Facebook Page
City of Asheville Twitter
Partnerships
Asheville Parks and Greenways Foundation
Friends of the Nature Center
Pack Square Conservancy
"The Arts -Ask for More" - Americans for the Arts
Other Park Systems Historic Sites in the Asheville Region
Blue Ridge Parkway
Buncombe County Parks, Greenways & Recreation
National Parks Service
National Register of Historic Places
NC State Parks
Agency Accreditation CAPRA Standards
Detailed information on each of the 155 standards
Charged with providing high quality recreation services and experiences, an increasing number of park and recreation agencies across the country are applying for the Agency Accreditation Program through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).
CAPRA administers a rigorous program based on self-assessment and peer review using national standards of best practice to better promote the quality of agency services and delivery systems.
Agency accreditation is available to all entities administering park and recreation systems, including municipalities, townships, counties, special districts and regional authorities, councils of government and schools.
Agency accreditation is voluntary, but an essential piece to producing quality environments for communities to play, live and grow.
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Asheville Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department
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The Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department is dedicated to enhancing your quality of life by providing diverse cultural and recreational experiences.
Asheville Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department is The First Nationally Accredited Municipal Parks & Recreation Department and an NRPA Gold Medal Award Winner (2002).
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Department Overview
Open spaces, parks, recreation and cultural arts provide opportunities for living, learning and leading a full and productive life. Parks and recreation benefit individuals and neighborhoods while having a positive impact on economic growth and environmental preservation. Asheville Parks and Recreation maintains 54 public parks, 6 miles of greenways, 11 community centers, numerous programs for youth, seniors and outdoor enthusiasts, a comprehensive athletics program, and many facilities that provide resources for a range of activities.
Speakers Bureau
Some department staff are available to speak to community groups on a variety of topics. These may include: Park Planning and Development, Public Art, Recreation Programs, and Senior Programs, to name a few. To request a speaker, call Frank McGowan, Superintendent of Business Services, at 259-5811 or send an e-mail to fmcgowan@ashevillenc.gov. Please be specific in your request and provide at least a month of lead time for staff to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Public Comment
Bid Requests and RFP's
Grounds Maintenance Services at Pack Square Park
Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: Oct 24, 2012 at 9 a.m.
Asheville Public Works Bldg, 161 S Charlotte St
Large Conference Room, 1st Floor
Asheville, NC
Bid details and download here
Message from the Director
The benefits of parks and recreation can be a walk in the woods. It can be the sense of exhilaration for the child who hits the ball with a bat for the very first time. It
can be the positive feeling of exhaustion that volunteers feel at the end of the day. Or it might be the sense of connection people feel when gathered with others to enjoy a fireworks display. So, whether you are an avid participant or occasional observer of parks and recreation, enjoy the benefits. Explore the links in this section to learn more about Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts.
Contact Information:
Roderick Simmons, Director
Main office location: Asheville City Hall, Fourth Floor, 70 Court Plaza
Mailing address: P.O. Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802
Phone: (828) 259-5800
E-mail:parks@ashevillenc.gov
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Department History
The City of Asheville began park and recreation services in the late 1890s with the construction of Riverside, Montford and Aston Parks. Shortly after, Recreation Park, McCormick Field and the Municipal Golf Course were added to the system. With a growing park system, the City developed the Parks and Playgrounds Division under the Public Works Department.
Augusta L. Barnett was appointed the first director of the Parks and Recreation Department in 1956. Although Barnett made significant improvements to recreation programs, she did not have the luxury of having quality facilities, and was forced to use schools and YMCA facilities to house programs.
After Barnett's retirement in 1971, Ray L. Kisiah became the director. During his tenure, Parks and Recreation experienced tremendous growth due to the abundance
of federal funds to support public parks and recreation facilities throughout the United States. In all, over $5.2 million of non-city funds renovated existing facilities and built new ones.
Kisiah retired in 1995 and Irby Brinson was named director. In 1994, Parks and Recreation became the first municipal recreation department to receive national accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies and was re-accredited in 2004.
In 1997, Parks and Recreation began upgrading Asheville's parks and recreation system by developing the first long-range comprehensive master plan, the Asheville Parks and Recreation 2015 Comprehensive Master Plan and the Asheville Greenways Master Plan in 1998. Both serve as the guide to improvements to existing facilities and addition of new, greenway development, land acquisition, expansion of services and staff, and development of funding opportunities.
The National Recreation and Parks Association named Asheville Parks and Recreation the Gold Medal winner in 2002. Top-notch departments from around the
country vie for the award each year in four different categories based on population size.
In 2005, the City of Asheville received significant recreation facilities from Buncombe County as part of the water agreement negotiations. The Municipal Golf Course, Nature Center, McCormick Field, Aston Park and Recreation Park joined the Asheville Parks and Recreation family.
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Vision & Master Plan
The City of Asheville Parks, Recreation, Cultural Arts and Greenways Master Plan was completed in 2009 to guide how the City provides these services over the next several years. For information about the master plan contact the City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Art Department at (828) 259-5800 or parks@ashevillenc.gov.
Master Plan Document
Asheville FINAL Report
Asheville FINAL Executive Summary
Appendicies:
Appendix I Demographics and Trends
Appendix II Focus Groups Summary
Appendix III Cost Recovery Pyramid Methodology
Appendix IV GRASP History and Methodology
Appendix V Asheville Park and Facility Inventory and GRASP A
Appendix VII Alternative Funding
Appendix VIII Sample Partnership Policy
Appendix IX Sample Sponsorship Policy
Appendix X Example Park Development Menu List and Walkability
Appendix XI Description of Parks
Maps:
Map A Asheville Regional
Perspective A Neighborhood Access to Components
Perspective B Walkable Access to Components
Perspective C Neighborhood Access Indoor Facilities
Perspective D Neighborhood Access Parks & Outdoor Facilities
Perspective E Neighborhood Access Trails
Recommendation Map
Resource Map B System Inventory Map
Resource Map C Sub Area Map
Greenways Recommendation Map
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2011 Annual Report
The City of Asheville Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department's 2010 Annual Report lists achievements and programs from the various divisions, boards, and department-wide initiatives.
2011-2012 Annual Report