Press release from the City of Asheville:
Construction on Parks Department bond projects is underway. Planning began in 2016 when Asheville voters approved a total of $74 million in bonds, including $17 million for Parks & Recreation facility expansion and improvements.
Now improvements to the Tempie Avery Montford Center Complex at 34 Pearson Drive are about to begin. A groundbreaking ceremony to kick off this project is set for noon July 12 at the center. Parking is available in the lower lots behind the center, accessible by Gay Street adjacent to the center.
Improvements to the Montford Complex will include a new playground, expanded parking, outdoor recreation area and room to expand the existing orchard.
Construction on this $1.17 million improvement project begins this month and is expected to be complete in fall/winter 2018.
Portions of the park will be closed in stages as work progresses. First will be the parking lot and tennis court area on Pearson. Parks & Recreation staff have modified programming activities at the center to adapt to the construction schedule
The $17 million Parks bond referendum approved by Asheville voters in 2016 is funding major improvements to Parks & Recreation facilities; acquiring land for parks; and improving outdoor courts, playgrounds and ball field lighting throughout the city.
For more information about this project, visit this link.
Improved bond reporting tool
After the bonds were passed in November 2016, the City launched a Bond Projects Information webpage in January 2017 to help residents track projects and spending.
One of the most helpful tools on the webpage is the Dashboard for Bond and CIP Projects, a place where residents can sort by category, such as all bond projects or capital improvement projects (CIP), or by topic such as transportation, affordable housing and parks.
A new tab has recently been added to the reporting dashboard giving larger visibility to how much has been spent. Also look for the “under contract” tab that has added to the site.
How bonds work
Issuing bonds is a common way for cities to invest in community infrastructure. A bond referendum is a vote by the electorate to authorize the City to issue bonds to generate revenue for a specific project or projects.
Asheville’s voter-approved bond program provides the City more options to invest in infrastructure to meet the needs of Asheville’s rapidly growing population.
For more information, contact Polly McDaniel, city communications specialist, at 828-232-4507 or PMcDaniel@ashevillenc.gov.
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