In a canine-crazed city like Asheville – with its dog menus at restaurants and craft dog ales – the city’s two public dog parks have been sorely missed since Hurricane Helene wiped them out last year.
French Broad River Park and Azalea Park have been closed since late September, with no reopening date in sight.
The city hopes to help fill that gap with Riverbend Dog Park, a pop-up site that held its grand opening this week in East Asheville. The park was launched in partnership with HCA Healthcare, which donated $35,000 to the city for the creation and maintenance of the park.
Tucked behind a Walmart parking lot at a small bend of the Swannanoa River, Riverbend Park is at a bit of a strange location. It’s an existing city park in an area that flooded badly during Helene and is connected to the only completed section of the Swannanoa River Greenway.
Now, the land is dried out and covered in mulch, with enough surviving trees to offer some shade for park visitors. The Riverbend Dog Park is split into two fenced areas, dividing big and small dogs.
Inside the big dog section, David Strout was one of dozen dog owners scoping out the new space at this week’s grand opening. He missed the social atmosphere of the public park, and so has his coonhound – named Miss Annabelle Lee.
“She's going to be upset at me for telling you this, but she gained about five pounds over the winter eating all the treats and not having a dog park to run around with,” he joked. “So, we're all getting back into shape, and I'm glad to bring her here today and get some runs out of her.”
City Councilman Bo Hess, who brought along his dog, Clovis, has fielded many requests about dog park closures. While this park doesn’t replace what’s lost, it’s a step in the right direction.
“It brings people together,” he said. “It's not really a dog park. It's a community through a dog park. So this is going to be a great addition to the city.”
City of Asheville Parks Director Tyrell McGirt said he’s glad to offer something while the city sorts through rebuilding the other two parks, which will take anywhere from months to years to reopen.
“We don't have a clue right now,” McGirt said. “Those projects are still in the works. So, this will be here until we get those permanent structures back on board.”
The prolonged timeline is due to the “extensive FEMA processes” that the city must follow to secure federal funding for its infrastructure, according to city spokesperson Christo Bubenik.
Parks that required simple repairs, like the Amboy Riverfront Park and portions of the Wilma Dykeman Greenway, have already reopened. But in places with a near-total loss, like the Azalea Dog Park, French Broad River Dog Park and Richmond Hill, repairs are classified as “complex” and the city will rely on FEMA Public Assistance, Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding, and other sources to rebuild.
City officials previously stated it will take up to six years for the full Azalea Park repair (which includes the Azalea Dog Park) – along with other work at Gashes Creek Bridge and Dam, Recreation Park and pool, and the John B. Lewis Soccer Complex. But, officials plan a staggered reopening, they said in May, which means some amenities at each recreational site could open much sooner.
The Riverbend Dog Park is open daily in East Asheville at 100 Bleachery Blvd., from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. – and it’ll be open so long as the regular dog parks remain out of commission. Find a full list of closed city parks.
Interested in partnering with the City of Asheville to replace recreational assets lost from the storm? Reach out to parks@ashevillenc.gov or (828) 259-5800.
