Swannanoa -- August 21, 2026: In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, few public spaces in Buncombe County felt the storm's fury quite like Charles D. Owen Park. The flooding Swannanoa River carved an entirely new channel through the property, heavily damaging structures and wiping out the beloved fishing ponds that had drawn local anglers and families for generations.
Now, the vision for the park's future is taking definitive shape.
Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is hosting an open-house community workshop on Thursday, August 27, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at ArtSpace Charter School in Swannanoa. The drop-in session gives residents an opportunity to examine the final draft design for the new Owen Park before it moves forward for official approval.
Shaped by the Community
The upcoming presentation marks the culmination of months of public participation and engineering assessments led by county officials and landscape architecture firm Hoerr Schaudt.
Spring Listening Sessions: Early workshops captured resident stories, priorities, and functional wish lists for the site.
June Conceptual Review: Planners presented two distinct layout options—balancing active recreation hubs, flood-resilient riparian buffers, wetland walking paths, and riverfront access.
Final Synthesis: Feedback gathered from hundreds of local participants directly guided the finalized master design being unveiled this month.
Event Details & Accessibility
The workshop is designed for flexible attendance, allowing community members to stop by at any point during the two-hour window to review design boards, ask questions, and share input with the project team.
What: Reshaping Owen Park Final Design Workshop
When: Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: ArtSpace Charter School, 2030 US-70, Swannanoa, NC
Language Services: On-site Spanish-language interpretation will be provided.
For residents unable to attend in person, the county will publish the design virtually for online review and comment. Once the final draft is approved, the project will transition into Phase 2, which includes final engineering documents, permitting, contractor bidding, and site construction.