Green roundup: Storm delays Woodfin’s Riverside Park improvements

The under-construction Taylor’s Wave — an integral part of Woodfin’s $34 million Greenway and Blueway system of parks, greenways and waterways — sustained only minimal damage from Tropical Storm Helene, but construction on the manufactured “river wave” still will be delayed, says Shannon Tuch, Woodfin town manager.

In June, Woodfin broke ground on the $4.8 million Taylor’s Wave, a rock and concrete ledge that diverts the French Broad River’s current to create a whitewater “wave.” The Greenway and Blueway project also includes an $8.9 million doubling of the adjacent, soon-to-be-8-acre Riverside Park.

Prior to Helene, both the wave and the park were expected to be completed in spring or summer 2025. The deadline has been extended, potentially into spring 2026, with construction on the wave set to resume in the spring.

Tuch does not anticipate that the delay, as well as minor damage to a cofferdam, a temporary enclosure in the river that creates a watertight space where workers could build Taylor’s Wave, will add to the projects’ cost.

“As Helene approached, the contractor [Contractor Charles Baker Grading & Landscaping] … got their equipment out so we didn’t lose anything in terms of materials,” Tuch says. “The cofferdam survived remarkably well, [and] the storm caused only minor damage.”

One caveat to Tuch’s cost projection is an unanticipated rise in the river’s water level post-Helene.

Before resuming wave construction, the town collected post-storm data and discovered that the water level downstream of the site is running about 5 inches higher than normal.

“The concern is that the flooding may have reconfigured the shape of the riverbed,” says Tuch.

If that’s the case, the wave design might need to be modified. Currently, the town has no idea how much.

“It depends on things outside our control,” Tuch says.

“Our engineers are investigating the potential causes for changes in the water levels,” Tuch says. One possible factor is the Metropolitan Sewerage District dam downstream from the building site, which has suspended operations since Helene.

“They’re not pulling water through [the dam] right now,” Tuch says. “We don’t know to what extent the operation of that dam may or may not affect our water elevation, but it’s something that we’re waiting to rule out.”

In the meantime, Woodfin is exploring whether or not the contractor can do some onshore park work while the town waits for conditions on the river to stabilize.

The Riverside Park expansion is the site of a former landfill, and the town planned to remove  26,000 cubic yards of construction debris.

“[Removing landfill] was always a beneficial piece to this project, so we’re just looking to do that work sooner rather than later,” Tuch says.

More information is at avl.mx/e95. 

Good to know

• The National Park Service (NPS) announced that it has opened three sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, restoring access to over 70 miles of the roadway. One of the restored sections runs from N.C. Route 215 to U.S. Highway 441 in Cherokee, near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance. Another span connects U.S. Highway 276 to Black Balsam, and includes the Graveyard Fields overlook and trailheads in Canton. “The section from Milepost 421 to 423.2, between the two open sections and including Devil’s Courthouse, remains closed,” says Tracy Swartout, Blue Ridge Parkway superintendent, in an NPS press release. That section of parkway will require reconstruction. Campgrounds, picnic areas and other visitor services in newly opened sections of the park will stay closed for the 2024 season. A third section, comprising 11 miles of the parkway within the Asheville corridor, from Milepost 382 near the Folk Art Center, to Milepost 393 near the N.C. Arboretum, has also been reopened. “We ask visitors traveling the parkway to be patient and respect all road closures,” writes Melissa Weih, an NPS information officer, in an email to Xpress. “Many areas remain unsafe due to hidden hazards, such as weakened portions of the roadway, hazard trees and unstable ground. Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are not complete, and caution should be exercised when hiking on trails in areas of the parkway that have reopened to vehicles.” More information is at avl.mx/e94.
• In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, Black-led nonprofit Southside Community Farm began supporting residents in Asheville’s historically marginalized neighborhoods, stepping up relief efforts and providing vital supplies to those impacted by the storm. In the weeks after the storm, a small team led by farm administrator Kate Wheeler and youth educator and community outreach manager Lydia Koltai distributed $5,000 worth of supplies three to five times per week. The farm is currently making weekly deliveries of fresh food and essential items to 46 households directly, plus additional households via community hub members across neighborhoods such as Livingston, Erskine, and Walton. “Our approach is unique because we ask what people need and bring it directly to their door. This has been especially important for elderly residents, post-op patients and caretakers who can’t spend the time or energy traveling to find these resources,” Wheeler says. More information is at avl.mx/dnl.  
  
• Smokies Life has published George Masa: A Life Reimagined, the first comprehensive biography of the Asheville-based Japanese photographer whose work helped spur the national park movement in the Great Smoky Mountains, as well as the creation of the Appalachian Trail. Written by Cornell University librarian Janet McCue and documentary filmmaker Paul Bonesteel, the biography answers questions about the Japanese immigrant who stepped off a train in Asheville in 1915 and devoted his life to the conservation of the Southern Appalachians. The paperback includes a 32-page color photo insert and is $28.95 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s visitor center bookstores or online. More information is at avl.mx/e4q.
• The City of Hendersonville has won three awards from the N. C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Mobi Awards program for the Oklawaha Greenway.  Completed in July 2019, the project expands the greenway an additional 1.5 miles, completing a citywide network that connects four parks in Hendersonville.  The three awards are first place – Small Urban Category, first place – Most Voted Project and second place – Innovation Category.  “We are thrilled to see the Oklawaha Greenway recognized as a model of multimodal infrastructure,” said Brent Detwiler, public services director for the City of Hendersonville. “This greenway project demonstrates what’s possible when a community comes together to prioritize safe and sustainable pathways that enhance quality of life for our residents and visitors.” More information is at avl.mx/pryh.
  

Save the date

• MountainTrue hosts a screening of the No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF), Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m. at The River Arts District Brewing Co., 13 Mystery St., Asheville. The all-women adventure film festival features conservation focused shorts. Space is limited, so pre-registration is required to attend the in-person screening. The festival can also be viewed virtually on Dec. 3, 7p.m.-12 midight. Admission is free, but donations to MountainTrue are suggested. More information is at avl.mx/eak.
• Horticulturist and landscape designer Brannen Basham will host the class “Bee My Little Baby – Intro to Bee Nesting,” Monday, Dec. 9, 6-7:30 p.m. at Asheville Botanical Garden, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville. Basham, who has designed pollinator gardens at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville, 7 Clans Brewing in Asheville and the Haywood County Arts Council, shows attendees the variety of nests for species, including mining bees, squash bees and carpenter bees, and guides participants through the process of building a mason bee nest. More information is at avl.mx/e96.