Asheville will again have only one public pool open this summer, as the city continues to make repairs to aquatic facilities that have exceeded their expected lifespan or were damaged by Hurricane Helene.
The pool at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center will be open until early September. Admission is $3 a day. For the pool’s operating hours, click here.
In a statement, an Asheville Parks and Recreation spokesperson acknowledged that community members “are eager to get back in the water” and said city staff “share their enthusiasm,” but that repairing the closed facilities will take time.
“Planning and constructing public pools are more complex than routine maintenance like replacing a pump, updating a filtration system, or renovating restrooms,” the statement continued. “We’re happy that planning and construction on two new public pools within the city continues to move forward on previously announced timelines.”
In East Asheville, the Recreation Park pool remains closed after being heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene. The city has solicited public input through events and online surveys and expects to release a design for the reconstruction sometime this summer.
The work is being led by the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery project team and is part of a broader effort to rebuild the storm-damaged recreation facilities and infrastructure on Azalea Road.
“The team plans to present renderings and explain the concept direction later this summer with additional opportunities for the community to offer more focused feedback on specific elements and features,” the Asheville Parks and Recreation spokesperson said. “Upon final design approval, the City of Asheville anticipates starting construction in 2027. To maximize access, areas will open in phases as work is completed.”
In West Asheville, the pool at Malvern Hills Park will be closed for the third summer in a row. City officials closed the 90-year-old pool in summer 2024, citing safety concerns and the cost of repairs. A few months later, voters approved a bond package allocating $20 million to parks and recreation improvements, including replacing the Malvern Hills Park pool. Construction is expected to begin later this year, and the new pool and renovated bathhouse are on track to open in summer 2028.
Asheville Parks and Recreation confirmed that the project remains within budget and on schedule. In addition, the city is currently seeking bids from construction trade and specialty contractors to work on the project.
On a recent evening, several West Asheville residents at Malvern Hills Park said they are eagerly awaiting their neighborhood’s pool reopening and are utilizing county pools or facilities like the YMCA in the meantime.
“It’s sad that it's closed, but you know, they are actively working to reopen it, which will be nice in 2028 for the kids,” Caleb Martin, a 34-year-old structural engineer who lives in West Asheville, said in an interview. “Hopefully that schedule sticks.”
Lauren Powell, a 44-year-old property manager who lives in the neighborhood, said she has been going to the Malvern Hills Park Pool since she was a child, “so it means a lot to me to see the younger generations enjoying it.”
“We need more third spaces, and we need the ones that we already have to stay around,” Powell said. “I mean, it's already a struggle to find inexpensive or free recreation for people that's outdoors and in nature.”
While only one public pool is open in Asheville, several Buncombe County pools are open this summer:
- North Buncombe Pool in Weaverville
- Erwin Pool in Asheville
- Hominy Valley Pool in Candler
- Owen Pool in Swannanoa
- Cane Creek Pool in Fletcher
- The BCS Aquatics Center at T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, an indoor pool offering community lap swim.
Admission at Buncombe County pools is $4 a day, except for the BCS Aquatics Center, which charges $5 a day. For the operating schedule for all county pools, click here.
One other option to cool off from the summer heat is Splasheville, Asheville’s public splashpad in Pack Square Park, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
More details on summer offerings in Asheville and Buncombe County can be found here and here.
