ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A temporary dog park has opened in Asheville’s Riverbend Park to give pets and their owners a safe space to play while the city recovers from flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene.
The city of Asheville partnered with HCA Healthcare’s Mission Health to establish the off-leash, fenced-in park after floodwaters in September damaged dog parks at Azalea Park and French Broad River Park.
Located at 100 Bleachery Blvd., the temporary park features separate areas for large and small dogs and is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
“We understand how important these off-leash spaces are for our community’s dogs and their owners,” Bridget Herring, the city’s recovery coordinator, said in a news release. “We are not only partnering to focus on fixing what was broken; rather, we are reestablishing hope of what’s possible for our community when we collectively show up with strength and purpose.”
Funding and support from Mission Health helped make the project possible.
“For the past several months, we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with our Western North Carolina community — repairing, rebuilding and restoring our home,” Greg Lowe, president of HCA Healthcare’s Mission Health, said in the release. “We’re excited to show up for our community by bringing a safe environment to the Riverbend Dog Park for local families, friends and beloved pets to gather.”
A grand opening celebration is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 15. Festivities will include giveaways, a selfie station, caricature drawings and adoptable pets from Mountain Pet Rescue.
For more information about the city’s storm recovery efforts, visit ashevillerecovers.org.