The City of Asheville is moving forward with the next stage of its French Broad Riverfront Parks Project and Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Project, inviting residents to review and comment on new design concepts. The city will host a drop-in community design workshop on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at A-B Tech Community College’s Ivy Building at 9 Genevieve Circle.
At the event, attendees can see multiple visualizations and layout alternatives for park repairs and infrastructure improvements that reflect public feedback gathered in late 2025. Short presentations about the French Broad area project will be given at the start of each hour, while updates on the Azalea area project will occur at each half-hour mark. Free parking is available, and complimentary transit vouchers for ART buses can be requested by contacting neighborhoods@ashevillenc.gov.
Stations throughout the venue will display artistic and technical renderings of possible park layouts. Residents are encouraged to give feedback to help shape final designs. The workshop will also offer activities for children, light refreshments, and Spanish language interpretation.
D. Tyrell McGirt, Asheville Parks & Recreation Director and Staff Liaison to the Helene Infrastructure Recovery Board, said: “We heard you, and now we want to show you how the community’s feedback is taking shape. This next phase of engagement is about helping us narrow down our plan for a resilient, vibrant riverfront that aligns with the people who use these spaces every day.”
The proposed designs were developed based on resident input following catastrophic flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. That event submerged over 200 acres along Asheville’s riverfronts—including parks, recreation amenities, greenways, and public facilities—resulting in significant damage not only along the French Broad River but also near Swannanoa River and Azalea Road.
Those unable to attend can view digital presentations of concepts and participate in an online survey between February 28 and March 16 via official project pages. Additional pop-up events at local venues are planned for early March; dates will be posted online as they become available. Focused discussions around specific topics related to both projects are also scheduled for early March.
Funding for recovery efforts is being sought primarily through federal disaster relief programs such as FEMA Public Assistance Program, Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, as well as other grants and local capital funds.
Following this design workshop phase, refined concept plans incorporating public input will be presented later this year. The design process for both projects is expected to continue into early 2027 before phased construction begins on a timeline yet to be determined. Public access to parks may continue where possible during construction depending on safety considerations.
The Azalea Parks project team is led by OLIN—a landscape architecture firm—while Sasaki leads work on French Broad Riverfront Parks with expertise in planning and civil engineering.
Asheville’s City Hall at 70 Court Plaza remains central to municipal operations (official website). The city employs long-term planning initiatives like City Plans (official website) aimed at sustainable growth through community engagement. Governed by a council-manager structure with elected officials setting policy (official website), Asheville coordinates services among departments such as Public Works and Planning (official website).