Western North Carolina’s parks are getting a long-awaited assist. Gov. Josh Stein on Thursday announced more than $4 million in state grants to help rebuild 11 parks and recreation sites that took a beating from Hurricane Helene’s historic inland flooding in September 2024. The money will go toward repairing boat launches, trails, ballfields and other community fixtures that were left underwater or unusable, and local officials say it will also help shift vulnerable facilities out of floodplains to better withstand the next big storm.
Which Parks Got A Cut Of The Cash
The Parks and Recreation Authority signed off on the grants, and the Office of the Governor released the full list. Among the winners: Asheville, which is getting $345,000 for Azalea Park; Avery County, awarded $987,500 for Hodge Turbyfill Fields in Newland; and Watauga County, receiving $494,000 for Cove Creek Park. In all, the governor’s office says the awards top $4 million and cover 11 mountain-region projects selected at a March 27 meeting.
Where The Money Is Coming From
The grants are funded through the Helene Recovery Fund for the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF), created under the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025, Part II. North Carolina General Assembly records show that Session Law SL 2025-26 appropriated $12.25 million to PARTF specifically for Helene recovery and directed roughly 35% of that pot to serve as matching funds for local governments.
How Hard The Mountains Were Hit
State Parks Director Brian Strong said some parks and many local recreation sites suffered heavy damage and temporary closures after Helene rolled through. Fifteen state parks shut down in the immediate aftermath, he noted, although state parks have since reopened. Spectrum News reported that Azalea Park in Asheville saw facilities flooded, fields submerged and a bridge collapsed during the storm, putting a key local sports and recreation hub out of commission.
Azalea Park Eyes A Smarter Comeback
The City of Asheville is already out in front on what comes next at Azalea Park. Phase 2 design concepts for the park complex lean heavily on flood resilience, with options that include elevating or relocating vulnerable facilities and expanding riparian buffers. The city’s public-input materials lay out the tradeoffs, from whether to rebuild a bridge to whether to remove or enhance a dam, and emphasize reconnecting the floodplain while restoring access for everyday recreation. The City of Asheville summarizes the design options and earlier engagement results on its survey page.
Why These Projects Were Picked, And What’s Next
The Parks and Recreation Authority chose the winning applications at its March 27 meeting, aiming for projects that can both bring services back online and cut future flood risk, according to the governor’s office. The Office of the Governor also notes that local governments will have to match the awards dollar-for-dollar, and that for this special PARTF cycle, the usual grant cap was lifted to give storm-hit communities a bigger lift.
From here, work will ramp up as towns and counties lock in their matching funds, finalize designs and slot construction into their calendars. Residents who want a closer look at what is planned in their own backyard can dig into the governor’s announcement or check their local government websites for project timelines and upcoming public-engagement opportunities.
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