Press release from city of Asheville:
Asheville Parks & Recreation invites community members to celebrate the expansion of Dr. Wesley Grant, Sr., Southside Community Center (285 Livingston Street) during a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, April 28. Brief remarks from Mayor Esther Manheimer, Parks & Recreation Director D. Tyrell McGirt, and a student from the after school program begin promptly at 4:30 p.m. Games, music, prizes, and a cookout follow the groundbreaking until 6:30 p.m.
“We’re excited to see the community’s vision for this recreation center come to fruition,” said McGirt. “Not only will the indoor gymnasium and additional meeting rooms provide ample flexibility for residents of all ages to remain active, an outdoor basketball court and new neighborhood pool deliver new spaces to connect with the outdoors and other neighbors. Grant Southside Center was always envisioned as a centerpiece to build cultural, recreational, and community experiences that celebrate the legacy of the neighborhood.”
Grant Southside Center opened in 2010 with an auditorium, classrooms, offices, and open outdoor green space. This has been referred to as the Cultural Phase with a focus on performing, cultural, and visual arts.
From the beginning, neighborhood voices prioritized an indoor gymnasium, flexible meeting space, and outdoor areas emphasizing wellness, active living, and exercise in the next phase, the Recreation Phase. When a professional assessment of nearby Walton Street Pool concluded repairs will no longer extend the life of the facility as a swimming pool, the design for the community center was altered to include a modern outdoor neighborhood swimming pool with toddler play zone, lounge deck, picnic area, restrooms, and changing rooms to ensure a truly multi-generational space.
During its meeting on January 11, 2022, Asheville City Council unanimously approved a contract with Harper Corp. For more information on the project, visit the City of Asheville’s website.
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