ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — During the Asheville City Council meeting tonight, a temporary skating rink was approved for construction in a $682,157 contract with B. Allen Construction, Inc. The temporary rink will be built on Asheland Avenue in downtown Asheville.
Following extensive damage to Carrier Park by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024, Asheville has been without a public skating rink for over a year and a half. While Carrier Park undergoes restoration, Asheville City Council approved a temporary skating rink for construction at 50 Asheland Avenue, a surface parking lot owned by the city Transportation department. The rink will be used for hockey, public skating and other skate-related programs.
The project will require demolition, grading and paving to be completed at the site before the skating rink can be erected.
Bumpy bidding
The city opened an Advertisement for Bids to construction companies on April 23, 2026, and initially explored B H Graning Landscapes, Inc., from Sylva, N.C., as the temporary skating rink contractor on the basis of their low bid of $496,473.
However, according to a staff report, B H Graning Landscapes were disqualified from consideration after an investigation into their qualifications, which revealed that the company had previously been terminated from a City Public Works project on Sept. 3, 2025, on account of “a lack of work progress, poor quality work, improper equipment, failure to adhere to City standards and poor communication.”
B. Allen Construction was then proposed as the project contractor on the basis of being “the lowest responsive responsible bidder” at $682,157.
How will the city pay for the skating rink?
During their meeting on Tuesday, June 23, Asheville City Council approved $526,569 from Community Development Block Grant funding for transfer to the General Capital Projects Fund.
As for the rest, “existing Capital Budget will provide the balance of funds,” the city said in a staff report.
Asheville City Manager DK Wesley has also been authorized to execute a change order, or an alteration to the agreed-upon contract, for up to 15%, or $102,325, for a total cost that would max out at $784,482.
How long will the temporary skating rink stay open?
While the timeline for the project has not been officially announced, the city project page states that the temporary skating location “will remain open until a permanent rink is built.”
In a press release, Asheville Parks & Recreation Director D. Tyrell McGirt said that the rink will serve as the home of Asheville skating “while long-term recovery at Carrier Park moves forward as part of the French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery project.”
“By preparing a City-owned site at 50 Asheland Avenue, we’re creating a space where residents can once again gather, stay active, and enjoy a valued community amenity as we continue rebuilding for the future,” McGirt said.