Following a series of destructive storms, some parks in Asheville have reopened to the public after being closed for three weeks. The Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) crews have managed to reopen 32 parks and are continuing efforts to clear debris, inspect playgrounds, and take necessary actions to make more locations accessible.
City officials caution residents not to use drinking fountains until all boil water advisories are lifted. They also emphasize avoiding parks listed as closed due to potential unseen dangers like broken equipment or sinkholes. Updated information on open parks is available at ashevillenc.gov/parks.
APR Director D. Tyrell McGirt urges the community: “We realize how much these spaces mean to many people’s daily routines, but please do not go into areas that are closed and create unnecessarily unsafe situations for our staff and first responders still doing critical work to repair our city.”
Currently, there is no timeline for the full assessment of all 58 parks and nine community centers. Parks with severe damage remain closed indefinitely, including riverfront parks and greenways. Riverside Cemetery is restricted except for funeral services due to safety concerns from large trees and other obstructions.
Scheduled activities, events, programs, and rentals by APR are canceled for now. However, the department plans to announce pop-up activities and events soon. Event producers should contact their representatives for questions about previously permitted events.
For ongoing updates on park facilities status, visit ashevillenc.gov/parks.
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