Slide, Swing, Soar at Carrier Park’s New Playground

Asheville -- August 20, 2024: Press Release City of Asheville Parks & Recreation: Calling all adventurers! Asheville

Parks & Recreation (APR) has officially opened a new playground in Carrier Park ready to spark imaginations and create lasting memories for kids, families, and community members of all ages. Often cited as one of the best playgrounds in Asheville, the previous wooden playground opened in 2001 and required frequent repairs to maintain its safety over the past few years.

Modernizing Asheville’s Playgrounds

The new playground includes a variety of whimsical slides, challenging climbing structures, spectacular swings, and play areas designed for discovery and encouraging healthy fun. It even pays tribute to the former playground through durable, environmentally-friendly recycled plastic lumber that looks like actual wood. Unlike real wood, the long-lasting material removes the threat of splinters and nasty cuts or bruises from blunt lumber.

“With volleyball, basketball, lawn bowling, skating, biking, nature areas, French Broad River Greenway, and so much more, Carrier Park is one of the most visited and treasured parks in Asheville,” according to APR Director D. Tyrell McGirt. “We kept that in mind as we designed the new playground in the same style with updated accessibility and safety. Mindful that shade is in high demand on sunny days, we preserved mature, leafy trees throughout the play area.”

The new playground is APR’s ninth complete playground replacement since 2019. Playgrounds at Weaver Park and Burton Street Community Center are on schedule for completion next year – marking the milestone of replacing more than half of the 19 playgrounds in the APR system. Many other playgrounds that have not yet been fully replaced have received new equipment, enhanced safety features, and accessibility upgrades.

Carrier Park: Let the Fun Begin

Development of Carrier Park began in 1998 when environmental nonprofit RiverLink purchased New Asheville Motor Speedway with intentions to create a park in partnership with the City of Asheville, which later acquired the property from RiverLink. Sweat equity from volunteers during a community playground build in 2001 provided momentum to complete the first phase of the park, dedicated in 2003 and including a volleyball court, roller hockey rink, playground, basketball court, lawn bowling, and trails. The speedway’s asphalt track was incorporated as a velodrome for biking and skating. The second phase of the park was dedicated in 2006 with a large picnic shelter, river overlook, wetland interpretive area, and more trails.

Carrier Park is located on 220 Amboy Road and the playground can be found within the velodrome. For more on the history of the park, check out Park Views: Carrier Park.

Asheville Parks & Recreation: Explore, Connect, Discover!

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.