Proposed master plan emphasizes improvements for existing Black Mountain facilities

Town Council considers draft of Recreation & Parks guiding document

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 1, 2023

Jim Ford, of McGill Associates, presents a draft of a system-wide Parks & Recreation Master Plan to the Black Mountain Town Council on March 1. Photo by Fred McCormick

A document that will, when it is passed, serve as a framework to guide future funding for the Black Mountain Recreation & Parks Department was presented to the town council, March 1, in a special call meeting.

The draft of the system-wide Recreation & Parks Master Plan, which was compiled by the consulting firm of McGill Associates and presented by land planner Jim Ford, prioritizes around $8.5 million in improvements to existing facilities over the next 10 years.

The town allocated $65,000 for the completion of a new recreation & parks master plan in 2022, approving the contract with the Asheville-based firm later in the year. The data collection process included significant feedback from citizens, according to Ford.

“We had a ton of input,” he said. “I’ve done this for 15 years, and for a town your size, I received what was probably more input than I’ve received anywhere else. That was a good thing.”

McGill Associates participated in seven drop-in meetings at locations throughout Black Mountain last fall, reporting 292 participants in the sessions. An online survey, circulated by the Town, received 838 responses, with 78% of those respondents listed as year-round residents and 3% as owners of a second homes in town, while 15% of the surveys came from the “other” category. Seven focus groups involving advisory boards and elected officials included 45 additional interviews.

Approximately 98% of the 804 survey respondents to the question were in favor of expanding recreational opportunities in Black Mountain, and 89% were willing to pay a nominal fee to attend an event or use a special facility.

A multi-sports complex, which received 160 votes in the drop-in and focus meetings, was the leading exercise preference among residents, according to the study. Pickleball courts, with 51 votes, and a gymnasium, at 49, rounded out the top three. Multi-purpose athletic fields, a bicycle pump track, restroom facilities, community center, tennis courts, the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden and natural surface trails rounded out the top 10.

“In a lot of the opening discussions, this leaned heavily toward four-season recreation,” Ford said. “People want more indoor spaces, recreationally.”

The national increase in the popularity of pickleball is reflected in Black Mountain, he added, “both pickleball and tennis are represented in that top 10.”

“Trails are usually the number one thing on all of these, and it’s interesting that made it into this top 10,” Ford said. “We have a lot of trails, but we need more, and that’s why you have a greenway committee. This plan supports those efforts, as well.”

Focus group feedback expressed interest in strengthening relationships with other recreation providers; maintenance and repair of existing facilities and program expansion.

The proposed plan addresses, but is not limited to, accessibility, design, maintenance, policies and marketing within the recreation and parks department.

“Existing facility recommendation, and I do not want to understand this, is huge,” he told the town council. “Every facility had some sort of big ticket item that needed to be addressed. I think it’s going to take you a while to do that, because you have to find funding.”

The draft recommended approximately $3.3 million in upgrades to Lake Tomahawk Park, including a site-specific master plan, improvements to to the body of water, additional parking and renovation of the senior center. Around $1.8 million in improvements were recommended for Veterans Park, including security cameras and lighting improvements; upgraded fields, concession stand and press box and a repaved parking area.

Cragmont Park, at just over $1 million of recommended upgrades, needed two new basketball courts, a pair of new tennis courts and a restroom building, according to the draft presented.

The proposal establishes five priorities for the town’s recreation & parks department from 2023-2027: implement recommended improvements at existing town facilities, as funding becomes available; regular inspection and improvements for ADA accessibility at town-owned recreation facilities; consideration of adding public wi-fi at those facilities and updating the department’s web page, to include a map of facilities, rules and programming information.

Four additional full-time staff are also recommended for the department, Ford told the town council, including an administrative assistant, park maintenance director, park maintenance technician and community garden manager.

The development of parcel 7619, adjacent to the existing Riverwalk Park and one of two pieces of land donated to the town last December, is included as a priority in the coming years, according to the presented document.

Future improvements, beyond the 10-year scope of the plan, could include a community center, additional trails and the development of the second parcel of land donated to the town last year. The total facilities costs beyond 2033 were estimated to be around $26.5 million.

“That is a lot of money,” Ford said. “I think you use a plan like this, tweak it to meet your needs, adopt it and then go after funding. There are a lot of matching funds and grants we can go after if we get this thing adopted.”

The consultant called the town’s existing system a “great” one, but urged the town to invest in it.

Councilmember Pam King thanked the consulting team and the community for their contributions to the process, adding she wanted everything that was in the plan.

“But, I’m pretty sure we’re going to disappoint every person in this room in one way or another,” she said. “Let’s just get that out there right now, we have to manage our expectations here. I haven’t chatted with any of my colleagues here, but I’m sure we’ll do the best we can, and as much of it as we can.”

Mayor Mike Sobol asked Ford about the feasibility of a hypothetical project involving the development of parcel 7619, while acquiring and retrofitting the vacant building adjacent to Riverwalk Park to serve as a community center.

“That’s super-park,” Ford responded. “I’d love to see it, because you do have so much in one spot. It would probably need to be developed over time, and you’ve got space, but I think the due diligence needs to be done on those properties to examine things like soil, topography, etcetera.”

While the board took no action during the meeting, McGill Associates is leaving the document open to changes at the town’s request. Once the plan is adopted, the town can present the document to present when seeking funding through state and federal grants.