Just as summer is getting underway, access to one of the highest-trafficked green spaces in Asheville will be limited by a major lawn renovation project.
From June 17 to July 5, grassy areas of Pack Square Park will be fenced off to the public. The closure is a result of Asheville Parks & Recreation’s efforts to create a more sustainable landscape for event organizers, festivals and parks management, city officials said in a release.
The current grass planted in Roger McGuire Green, the expansive lawn in Pack Square Park, is a type of “cool season” grass and requires more water and upkeep than its planned “warm season” replacement.
The new grass is a hybrid bermuda grass, a type of lawn that thrives in spring, summer and fall, the seasons in which most Pack Square Park events take place.
Pack Square Park events are very popular for Asheville locals and visitors alike. After the park hosts festivals like the annual summertime LEAF Downtown celebration, its lawns can become muddy and damaged. In-between these events, a “warm season” grass would take less time to repair itself, according to Asheville Parks & Recreation.
However, it is closing during the most popular time of the year for people to be outside.
Pack Square Park is often packed with kids playing at Splasheville, young people throwing frisbee, and senior citizens out for a walk.
The lawn is the central attraction downtown for picnics, musicians and outdoor play. Its 18-day closure is coming at a time when every day is long, and every park is filled with people.
In the downtown area, the 6.5 acre Pack Square Park between South Market Street and Court Plaza, is both a de facto town square and a green oasis.
“Since this is a warm-season grass, the best time to plant is late spring or early summer. Working with the Office of Special Events, we identified June 17-July 5 as the time with the least disruption to special events taking place in the park based on previous years’ schedules,” Asheville Parks and Recreation said via city Communication Specialist Kim Miller.
In the lead-up to the park’s closure, Asheville Parks & Recreation workers might be seen preparing the lawn for its renovation. Access to the green during its replanting will be restricted by a temporary fence around its perimeter.
Despite the park’s impending hiatus, the community can look forward to several events immediately before and after its closure.
At approximately 8:45 p.m. on Friday, June 14th, the Movies in the Park series continues with a free screening of “Barbie” projected on a screen at Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage.
The city’s Splasheville Days, meanwhile, will resume on July 6.