Press release from Asheville Parks and Recreation
As the city’s New Year’s Resolutions HQ, Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) invites community members to browse hundreds of activities, classes, and special events in its latest program guide, covering January-May 2024. The free guide is available at community centers and online at ashevillenc.gov/apr-guide in English and Spanish:
- View program guide as a PDF in English and español or as a digital flipbook in English
- View weekly and monthly recurring programs at a glance
- Search programs online, available in 133 languages via Google Translate’s Website Translator
- Note that Grove Street Community Center is closed for HVAC repairs with its programs moved to Stephens-Lee Community Center during the closure
“As we look to create opportunities in our community, I’ve challenged the APR team not to wait, but to just start,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “I issue the same challenge to community members. There are a number of new and returning programs that help build connections and spark reflection and self-improvement. As an organization that creates community and nurtures dreams for many of our neighbors, I’m proud of my team for challenging each other and exploring their own new year’s resolutions as they deliver essential services and create community spaces for everyone from infants to retirees in our city.”
Ashevillians ready to just start and challenge each other to accomplish personal goals in the new year are invited to share their journeys – whether in a park, on a greenway, at a community center, or anywhere else – on online social networks using the hashtag #LandOfSkysTheLimit.
Asheville Parks & Recreation January 2024 Highlights
This is just a sample! Visit ashevillenc.go/apr-guide or stop by an APR community center for a program guide with more opportunities for people of all ages from January through May. Spots fill up fast, so advance registration is highly recommended, even for free events.
Teens and Tweens
- Teen Leadership clubs meet weekdays at multiple community centers
- Friendship Bracelet Class on January 17
- City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) applications accepted through January 15 with paid internships for high school sophomores and juniors
- High school students work out for free at community fitness centers
Young Adults
- APR Outdoor’s fly fishing series kicks off with Intro to Fly Fishing, Knots and Rigging, and Fly Tying
- Learn about the game from national champion Dillon Pressley at Cornhole Smash starting January 8
- Indoor basketball, volleyball, and pickleball pickup games take place throughout the week at multiple community centers
Adults and Retirees
- APR’s popular Pickleball Beginner Clinic returns on January 19
- Six-week pottery classes begin on January 23
- Harvest House Community Center contains clay sculpting, weaving, and woodshop studios and classes
Kids
- Family Cooking classes teach fundamental skills starting January 18
- Montford Sensory Storytime incorporates sensory activities with popular childrens’ books starting January 10
- Youth Beginner Indoor Rock Climbing is a three-week class designed for kids ages 7-10 starting January 19
Therapeutic Recreation
- Adaptive Basketball teaches the basics of the game starting January 6, but registration is open now
- Adult Crafting and Cooking hosts a variety of kitchen and craft activities for individuals with disabilities on Tuesdays
Upcoming Registration Dates
- December 20 – Youth Flag Football
- December 20 – Adaptive Baseball
- February 5 – Adult Softball
- February 12 – Middle School Sand Volleyball
- March 25 – APR Summer Camps
Asheville Parks & Recreation
With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.
Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook (@aprca) and Instagram (@ashevilleparksandrecreation), or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.
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