Connect Buncombe

10/05/2026

Invest in Greenways That Connect Us

Greenways link our neighborhoods, parks, and people. Past bonds seeded 24 new and improved trails and paths, like the Hominy Creek, Haw Creek, and Woodfin greenways. They also started work on 584 acres of new parks, including Deaverview Mountain.

Now is the time to invest in our future. That’s why we endorse the Affordable Housing Bond ano the Open Space Conservation Bond on the November ballot. We need this investment especially for our seniors, working families, and to protect our drinking water.

The Open Space Bond builds more greenways, parks, and trails. The Affordable Housing Bond creates homes with parks and playgrounds close by.

Past bonds prove this works. They helped fund 969 affordable homes, conserved 2,600 acres of land, and brought in $7 of outside money for every $1. A citizens’ oversight committee will track every dollar. Together, the two bonds cost the average homeowner about 83 cents a week.

Early voting runs October 15-31. Election Day is November 3. Learn more, request a yard sign, and volunteer at voteyesonbonds.org.

09/17/2026

Connect Buncombe endorses the 2026 Buncombe County Open Space General Obligation Bonds to help ensure there is necessary funding for future greenway projects in our county. Vote Yes on Bonds!

08/27/2026

07/10/2026

A huge thanks to Burial B**r Co. for becoming a visionary sponsor of our organization! This level of support will help further our mission of expanding greenways throughout our region.

We look forward to working together on projects in support of their new home in the River Arts District (Curve Studios), just a short distance from the French Broad River Greenway system.

In the meantime, be sure to stop in one of their existing locations (Collier Ave or Forestry Camp in Biltmore Village) and grab a b**r! High five the bartender and tell them how much you appreciate their support!

06/12/2026

Exploration Local is a great local podcast - take a listen to this recent episode about the possibilities of a future greenway in Swannanoa! We are proud of all the work our partners at Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) and all the momentum they've created recently to keep this vision going!

NEW EPISODE: The Swannanoa Greenway: More Than a Trail | Bradley Spiegel & Carol Groben (Link in Bio)

When most people hear “greenway,” they think of a trail.

But what if it could also help a community become more resilient?

After Hurricane Helene, the conversation around the proposed Swannanoa Greenway took on new meaning. In this episode, I sit down with Bradley Spiegel and Carol Grobin to explore how a greenway could support flood mitigation, safer connections between neighborhoods, and the long-term future of Swannanoa.

This one is about much more than a trail.

🎙️ Link in bio, or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Equinox
Great Trails NC
Connect Buncombe
RiverLink
Equinox
MADE X MTNS

06/12/2026

Huge shoutout to our friend and longtime greenway planner & advocate in Buncombe County, Lucy Crown, for all she has done in her professional and personal career and for her recent retirement! Lucy has been instrumental in getting getting things done for both the County and the City of Asheville, and we can't thank her enough!

Check out this article: "People at Work: The woman behind Asheville’s greenways:"
https://828newsnow.com/news/228822-people-at-work-the-woman-behind-ashevilles-greenways/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSZAMRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETE1YzJRdm42dHFpdmFJSXVGc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhfJrOlqRcCUZK1LAxKmD0DahB-y10lSKZmnM2fXvPAMBXgQoF77B5ctV5o__aem_3oS1lgHN2Y6_hZDE8eLWEg

The longtime city planner Lucy Crown spent years advancing projects designed to make Asheville safer, more walkable and more connected

06/02/2026

June is here and we are excited to announce our next Brewing for Greenways event this Thursday! Join us at on Collier from 5-7pm for a refreshing pint in the b**r garden. We’ll have board members available to chat about all the different projects we are focusing on throughout the county. Full kitchen, w**e, c***r and N/A options also available. Summer is the perfect time to learn about our growing network….come hang!

06/02/2026

Thursday's weather looks perfect (~80 degrees and sunny!) for our next Brewing for Greenways event. This week we are teaming up with Burial B**r Co. from 5-7PM at their Collier location. Come out, grab a pint, and learn how you can get involved in supporting our work. Full kitchen, N/A options, w**e, and c***r also available.

05/26/2026

Lisa Raleigh, Executive Director of RiverLink, did an excellent job sharing the importance of riparian zones, the state of our rivers after Tropical Storm Helene, and protecting the French Broad River. Give it a listen!

Lisa has been a big supporter of Connect Buncombe and greenways in Buncombe County, citing them as critical infrastructure in climate resilience when sited in well-planned locations along rivers, versus less compatible development.

Rivers, Floods, and a Human Reckoning | Lisa Raleigh, PhD | TEDxAsheville

05/01/2026

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in our most recent Brewing for Greenways event at New Belgium Brewing - Asheville!

Brewing for Greenways is an on-going, multi-brewery effort to raise funds and awareness for the planned public greenway and trail network that will connect people and places in Buncombe County. Proceeds from the collaborations support Connect Buncombe and greenway projects in Buncombe County.

Save the dates for our next event:

Friday, May 15 at Riverside Rhapsody (5-7pm)
..featuring their new “Riverwave Hazy IPA” made with 100% Riverbend Malt House malt.

We can't wait to see you there!