WOODFIN, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The $4.8 million Taylor’s Wave project is an eagerly anticipated installation for French Broad River kayakers, surfers and paddlers. However, until the river wave officially opens later this year, Woodfin police urge the community to stay safe and keep out.
Keeping away from the Wave
According to Shannon Tuch, Woodfin town manager, Taylor’s Wave will open to the public by late summer or early fall 2026. Its accompanying project, a revamp and expansion of Riverside Park, located adjacent to Taylor’s Wave, will follow in spring 2027.
Presently, there are active construction crews working on both sides of the river. Additionally, rock debris washed into the river by Tropical Storm Helene can still be found at the site.
However, none of this has stopped paddlers from partaking in the unfinished project, Tuch said.
“We’re certainly aware that people are in the water, surfing the wave, despite our requests not to and the warnings that we’ve posted. We are trying to make sure people are well informed of the hazards of being in the water,” Tuch explained.
Why are there police at Taylor’s Wave?
According to Tuch, while trespassing through the riverbank construction sites would be an illegal offense, paddling through Taylor’s Wave is technically open to anyone, regardless of danger.
“We can’t remove people from the river,” Tuch said. “But the construction area in the water is basically what is inside and directly around the cofferdam. We wouldn’t want anybody on the cofferdam or inside that cofferdam. We’re also working on the shore on the west side, so we would keep people out of those areas because those are active construction areas, and we do have control over those and the authority to remove people.”
In order to encourage eager paddlers to wait until construction has been completed, Tuch said that Woodfin Police Department officers have been stopping people who paddle through the site, answering questions they might have and advising them to stay out of the water around Taylor’s Wave.
“Our police have been helping us with a pretty significant education campaign, just to check in with people, make sure they understand,” Tuch said.
Until Taylor’s Wave opens, Tuch recommends that local paddlers explore some of the other aquatic attractions Asheville has to offer.
“I’m not really a paddler, so I’m not the most in the know, but I know Western North Carolina is not lacking for whitewater opportunities or for paddling opportunities,” Tuch said. “We get that people are excited. We just think it’s worth waiting.”
For more information about Taylor’s Wave, visit www.woodfin-nc.gov/departments/parks___greenways/taylor_s_wave.php.