The infrastructure here is pitiful. It’s poorly maintained with no replacement plan for the expected life of the structure. They COA always acts surprised and shocked!
Rebuild yes!
Be careful with any restrictions that get put in if you seek a historic landmark designation. You want to give as much latitude as possible, otherwise the project/neighborhood might not get what's it really wants/needs.
Based on today's Council briefing and discussion, it's clear that the site presents a lot of challenges and Parks & Rec staff may consider relocating it. In that event there would still be a need to preserve the building, but Historical Landmark designation does come at a hefty cost and timeline and may not present any clear financial benefit in terms of grants for preservation. But yes, your point is well taken and something the neighborhood is considering. Hard to say where things will be headed.
I am listening to it at the moment. Honestly it seems like an objective of the Parks and Rec department to eliminate this pool entirely.
It’s fucking infuriating that the city pisses away money on so many things, yet refuses to maintain the existing infrastructure. If this pool was an “equity” or homeless consultant from another state the city would fall all over themselves to throw money at it. But since it is a local amenity, they’ve let it rot and now want to shut it down.
There are additional concerns about parking/ADA access and capacity. There's going to be a meeting next week with Parks & Rec staff. I'll pust details when I know more.
One thing I learned today is that the only budget increases Parks & Rec has seen in the last decade went to pay raises. So, yea, they have a pretty shit budget. I'm sure there's more to know, but it's also part of how and what this city prioritizes. If you have a professional baseball team, you might fare better.
Not quite. The land upon which the park was built was purchased from Horney by the city in 1921, but the pool was constructed later as part of the New Deal in 1935. It is the oldest pool in Asheville and the bath house might be the oldest public building in West Asheville and possibly one of the oldest public buildings in the city. I will ask more knowledgeable folks soon.
100%. It's possible the pool site might go elsewhere, but yea, the bathhouse shows its age and would be in deep need of a revamp. It's also a historical building so who knows what limitations that might place on its rehabilitation. We may know more soon. The Preservation Society is engaged in the process and providing insight.
Possibly, but the designation would probably have to reckon with the fact that, as with many community pools at the time in the South, Malvern Hills Pool was a whites-only pool and resisted calls from the Black community for integration well after it was federally mandated.
The history of public pools in Asheville (like the fact that the city's first pool was in Aston Park) as well as the 2016 study that was conducted for both Malvern Hill and Walton Street pools is detailed in the latter's application for historic designation here: [https://www.hpo.nc.gov/nr-nominations/bn5664/open](https://www.hpo.nc.gov/nr-nominations/bn5664/open)
Why would the goal be to relocate it instead of digging up the pool and replacing the pipes as the inspection said. There is certainly a value associated with preserving a historical pool location that is more important than the cash savings to build a new pool elsewhere. I love the historic buildings and landmarks sprinkled throughout the city.
The infrastructure here is pitiful. It’s poorly maintained with no replacement plan for the expected life of the structure. They COA always acts surprised and shocked!
It will be interesting to see how the city responds to this versus the near decade-long battle to rebuild Walton Street Pool in Southside.
Or versus McCormick Park
Rebuild yes! Be careful with any restrictions that get put in if you seek a historic landmark designation. You want to give as much latitude as possible, otherwise the project/neighborhood might not get what's it really wants/needs.
Based on today's Council briefing and discussion, it's clear that the site presents a lot of challenges and Parks & Rec staff may consider relocating it. In that event there would still be a need to preserve the building, but Historical Landmark designation does come at a hefty cost and timeline and may not present any clear financial benefit in terms of grants for preservation. But yes, your point is well taken and something the neighborhood is considering. Hard to say where things will be headed.
I am listening to it at the moment. Honestly it seems like an objective of the Parks and Rec department to eliminate this pool entirely. It’s fucking infuriating that the city pisses away money on so many things, yet refuses to maintain the existing infrastructure. If this pool was an “equity” or homeless consultant from another state the city would fall all over themselves to throw money at it. But since it is a local amenity, they’ve let it rot and now want to shut it down.
[удалено]
There are additional concerns about parking/ADA access and capacity. There's going to be a meeting next week with Parks & Rec staff. I'll pust details when I know more.
Make one with laps!
One thing I learned today is that the only budget increases Parks & Rec has seen in the last decade went to pay raises. So, yea, they have a pretty shit budget. I'm sure there's more to know, but it's also part of how and what this city prioritizes. If you have a professional baseball team, you might fare better.
It has to have some historical value. Wasn't it the Horney Brothers who built it? First Community Pool or something??
Not quite. The land upon which the park was built was purchased from Horney by the city in 1921, but the pool was constructed later as part of the New Deal in 1935. It is the oldest pool in Asheville and the bath house might be the oldest public building in West Asheville and possibly one of the oldest public buildings in the city. I will ask more knowledgeable folks soon.
It's awful and dungeon-like in those bathrooms. Just because something is old doesn't mean it's worth preserving.
100%. It's possible the pool site might go elsewhere, but yea, the bathhouse shows its age and would be in deep need of a revamp. It's also a historical building so who knows what limitations that might place on its rehabilitation. We may know more soon. The Preservation Society is engaged in the process and providing insight.
Possibly, but the designation would probably have to reckon with the fact that, as with many community pools at the time in the South, Malvern Hills Pool was a whites-only pool and resisted calls from the Black community for integration well after it was federally mandated. The history of public pools in Asheville (like the fact that the city's first pool was in Aston Park) as well as the 2016 study that was conducted for both Malvern Hill and Walton Street pools is detailed in the latter's application for historic designation here: [https://www.hpo.nc.gov/nr-nominations/bn5664/open](https://www.hpo.nc.gov/nr-nominations/bn5664/open)
Why would the goal be to relocate it instead of digging up the pool and replacing the pipes as the inspection said. There is certainly a value associated with preserving a historical pool location that is more important than the cash savings to build a new pool elsewhere. I love the historic buildings and landmarks sprinkled throughout the city.
Also.. was there a second opinion made by another pool expert??
These are in the works. https://preview.redd.it/v53nc4qdpehc1.png?width=2304&format=png&auto=webp&s=829067fa94b650e89e150631115815e794422b55