As temperatures rise, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s public pools offer cool, safe, and affordable fun for community members of all ages. Pools in Malvern Hills and Recreation parks open for the season on Memorial Day weekend. Pack Square Park’s popular free splash pad, Splasheville, is already open. A new pool at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center opens this summer with a date to be announced soon.

Pool Locations:
Malvern Hills Park is located on 75 Rumbough Place. Due to increased vehicular traffic, Rumbough Place becomes a one-way thoroughfare from Sulphur Spring Road to Harris Avenue from May 26-August 6.
Recreation Park is located on 65 Gashes Creek Road.
Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center is located on 285 Livingston Street and is expected to open in June or July.
Splasheville is located in Pack Square Park on 80 Court Plaza. The free splash pad’s regular daily hours are 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m., but may be closed for special events or during inclement weather.
Pool Hours:
Pools close during inclement weather for safety.

May 27-June 4
Saturdays, May 27 and June 3, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sundays, May 28 and June 4, from 1-6 p.m.
Monday, May 29, from 12-6 p.m.
June 10-August 6
Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sundays, 1-6 p.m.
Mondays, 12.-6 p.m.
Tuesdays, 12-6 p.m.
Wednesdays, 12-6 p.m.
Thursdays, 12-6 p.m.
Fridays, 12-6 p.m.
August 7-September 3 (Recreation Park only, other pools close on August 6)
Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sundays, 1-6 p.m.
September 4 (Recreation Park only, other pools close on August 6)
Monday, 12-6 p.m.


Pool Admission, Swim Lessons, and After Hours Parties:
Cost to swim is $3.00 per day. Season passes may be purchased for $100 per individual or $150 for a family of up to four individuals.

Asheville’s public pools are managed through an agreement with Swim Club Management Group of Asheville which oversees maintenance, hires staff, and handles daily operations. Community members can sign up for swim lessons on the management group’s website, ashevillecitypools.com.



Asheville Parks & Recreation
With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city

Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook @aprca and Instagram @ashevilleparksandrecreation, or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.

Asheville Parks & Recreation’s Movies in the Park 2023 Lineup

May 12, begins around 8:10 p.m.: DC League of Super-Pets (PG for language, action, mild violence, and rude humor) – Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side-by-side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack – Ace the hound, PB the pot bellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel – to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes.
June 9, begins around 8:30 p.m.: Cruella (PG-13 for some thematic elements and some violence) – Set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, this live-action feature film explores the rebellious early days of one of cinema’s most notorious – and notoriously fashionable –  villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil of 101 Dalmatians. Estella is a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute. Their relationship sets in motion a course of events that cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable, and revenge-bent Cruella.
July 14, begins around 8:30 p.m.: Top Gun: Maverick (PG-13 for some strong language and sequences of intense action) – After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission, Maverick encounters the son of Maverick’s late friend. Facing an uncertain future and confronting ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
August 11, begins around 8:10 p.m.: Little Giants (PG) – Ever since childhood, nerdy Danny O’Shea has felt inferior to his brother, Kevin, a former college football star. Danny runs a gas station, while Kevin coaches the local youth football team. When Kevin’s team rejects Danny’s daughter because she’s a girl, she convinces her dad to start a rival team even though the city can support only one. To prove himself against his brother, Danny begins coaching his team of misfits for a playoff game.

A summer tradition for many Ashevillians returns to Pack Square Park on Friday, May 12. The popular Movies in the Park series produced by Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) begins its 2023 season with a showing of DC League of Super-Pets. Community members are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to the free viewing, which begins at dusk. Asheville Parks & Recreation Rec n Roll Play Zone opens an hour before showtime with games, giveaways, and other activities for kids and teens. Additional movies are scheduled for the second Friday of the month through August.

Movies in the Park allows people to enjoy blockbusters on the big screen with a spectacular backdrop – Asheville City Hall’s art decor exterior flanked by the rising mountains and a night sky full of stars. As Asheville’s town square, Pack Square Park’s central location allows community members in nearby neighborhoods including East End, Montford, South French Broad, and Southside to easily walk, bike, or ride to the show. Free parking in downtown after 6 p.m. makes it a low-cost night out for those traveling from further away.

Make a Plan
All movies begin at dusk in Pack Square Park on 80 Court Plaza in downtown Asheville. Approximate showtimes are listed below, but plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior. Bring blankets and folding chairs for comfort.
Asheville Parks & Recreation Rec n Roll Fun Zone activities start an hour before showtime.
Bring money for food and treats from local vendors. Smokee’s Pizza is scheduled for opening night on May 12 while Tin Can Pizzeria is scheduled for the remaining dates. Kona Ice of Asheville and Kernel Mike’s World Famous Kettle Corn will be available at all dates.
Free parking is available in marked spaces on city streets and in city-owned lots on Marjorie Street after 6 p.m.
Pets, smoking, and alcohol are prohibited.
Have fun! Dress up as your favorite characters, invite friends, and celebrate cool summer nights.
 

Area families are in for a fun-packed time during Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR)’s annual Tiny Tykes Day at Martin Luther King Jr. Park from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 7. The free family festival features hands-on experiences and adventures tailored for kids ages 5 and under including tumble and bounce houses, face painting, twisty balloons, craft making, biking, obstacle courses, special guests, train rides, sing-alongs, and more!

balloon artist with small girl“From youth and adult sports leagues to woodworking classes and low-impact hikes for older adults, we know our community is strongest when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be healthy and successful,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “Throughout the year, we host many hours of toddler discovery programs in parks and at community centers including Stephens-Lee and Tempie Avery Montford that inspire curiosity, foster imagination, and set the stage for a world where every child feels supported to achieve their dreams no matter their background. Tiny Tykes Day combines the best elements of those programs and brings them to the largest audience possible at beautiful Martin Luther King Jr. Park in the historic East End neighborhood – with plenty of room to accommodate hundreds of Asheville’s youngest explorers.”

Designed to encourage critical decision making and patience, APR program leaders will be stationed around MLK Park’s expansive ballfield hosting fun activities to build intellectual thinking and develop motor skills using bubbles, balloons, bikes, bounce houses, dinosaurs, and much more. The park is located on 50 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Asheville. Bleacher seating is available, but families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to stay closer to the action.

toddler train with red blue and green carsAdmission is free for Tiny Tykes Day. For a complete list of current toddler discovery programs, visit APR’s online registration system. Advance registration is strongly encouraged for toddler discovery programs as space is limited and they fill up quickly.



Asheville Parks & Recreation

Established in 1956, Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.

Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, APR was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For the latest updates, follow the department on Facebook @aprca and Instagram @ashevilleparksandrecreation or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.