The indoor recreation facility's proposed amenities include basketball and volleyball courts, locker rooms, a kitchen, multipurpose spaces suitable for hosting community events or polling sites, conference rooms, and office space for Parks & Recreation staff. In addition to efficiency standards and solar power, this design concept could also allow for additional entrances or exits from the park, relieving some traffic burden during busy periods. In addition to its recreation uses, the facility will be designed to accommodate emergency response and sheltering if needed during a disaster. 

Project Location

The identified area in Buncombe County Sports Park, located at the current site of Field 9 in the upper section of the park, was recommended because it is Buncombe County-owned property that would not require an additional land purchase. This area also allows for easy access to the facility as well as an additional entrance and exit, and it will likely remain accessible during a major weather event. 

The former General Services grounds facility, which was in the lower section of Buncombe County Sports Park near the office, was also considered as a location for the recreation facility. However, this area is more likely to become inaccessible during flooding and would limit the ability to add the additional parking a recreation facility would need. 

Existing Park Amenities

We know the park’s existing amenities, like Sand Hill Community Garden, Asheville GreenWorks’ tree nursery, and the dog park, are important to the community, and we are working hard to minimize any impact that this new indoor recreation facility might have on everything the park already offers. This project is in very early stages and no design has been finalized, so we do not yet know what impact, if any, there will be. 

If these amenities are impacted in the final design, we will work with their managing organizations to relocate them to a new space in the park. We will also stay in conversation with all park community partners throughout the project to address any concerns as best we can while still creating an indoor recreation facility that meets the needs of Buncombe County and the community. 

Neighborhood Impact

Our construction crews and General Services team will be working hard to mitigate noise or traffic issues during the facility’s construction phase and limit the impact on the surrounding neighborhood as much as possible. We will also adhere to all work time and noise restrictions in the area. In these early stages, parkgoers and neighbors may see surveyors and other project team members in the park and on the site. These assessments provide information as we begin to create the concept and develop the design. 

We also plan to have a new entrance and exit added as part of the project, which should help ease existing traffic concerns for the park once the project is complete. 

Project Funding

The budget for this project will be met through a combination of grant funding and funding from the County’s FY27 Capital Improvement Plan.

Click through to learn more about the project's timeline and how you can get involved.