Asheville Reporter

City of Asheville has announced the closure of its offices from December 24 to 26, 2024, for the winter holiday break. Offices will also be closed on January 1, 2025.

In the ongoing Helene recovery efforts, debris collection will continue through the holidays. The FEMA Disaster Relief Center at Asheville Mall will be closed on December 24 and from December 25 to 26. It will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 27 and remain closed on January 1, resuming regular hours on January 2.

Several city services will be impacted by these closures:

- **ART bus service:** The Asheville Rides Transit (ART) schedule will end at 6:30 p.m. on December 24, with no service available on Christmas Day. A holiday schedule will apply on New Year's Day.

- **Trash, recycling, and brush collection:** These services will proceed as usual on December 23 and December 24 but not occur on December 25. Wednesday customers' collections are shifted to Thursday, December 26, while Thursday customers' collections move to Friday, December 27.

- **Sanitation office:** Closed from December 24 to December 26.

Residents can sign up for free reminders about schedule changes via the AVL Collects app or visit the City of Asheville Sanitation webpages for more information about recycling holiday items.

Eight food scrap drop-off sites are now operational in Asheville and Buncombe County for residential composting purposes.

- **Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR):** Most parks and greenways are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., although some remain closed due to Tropical Storm Helene damage. Administrative offices and community centers close from December 24 to December 26 and again on January 1.

APR offers various fitness programs and activities in their January-May guide for those interested in maintaining healthy habits or setting new goals for the New Year.

- **Community & regional entertainment facilities:** Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville is closed from December 23 to December 26. For event inquiries, visit their website or contact them directly by email.

The WNC Nature Center remains shut due to storm effects; further details can be found online. Meanwhile, the Asheville Municipal Golf Course closes only on Christmas Day but remains open otherwise during the holidays.

Emergency services including police, fire, and emergency response continue operating around-the-clock throughout this period.

Water resources staff are available for emergencies over the holiday weekend at any hour via customer service line at (828)251-1122 for issues like leaks or water outages.