How can we revitalize Azalea Park?

What you're doing: Developing a plan, prototype (model) and a budget for a station at Azalea Park that can be used to help Riverlink accomplish their mission: “to promote the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and its watershed,” and that also aligns with the City of Asheville’s strategic priorities and the conceptual plan created by MVRC&D (Mountain Valleys Resource and Development Council). Your group will present your plans to Riverlink, as well as to other people who can help create and fund those changes. You have a chance to convince them to use their time and money to make the changes you want to see.

How we're doing it: Working in groups of 3, you will...

• Identify what you want to add to the park to help Riverlink in their mission while meeting the city’s strategic priorities, and aligning with MVRC&D’s conceptual plan

• Research an accurate budget for this plan

• Get feedback from professionals 

• Get feedback from students

• Get feedback from teachers

• Create a physical prototype (model)

• Develop a presentation to stakeholders that includes: your plan, prototype, and budget.

• Present!

When we're doing it: You'll have 90 minutes over the course of 8 Thursdays between now and May 5th to make your plans. On the morning of May 5th, you'll present your plans to people from Riverlink, the City of Asheville, as well as many others at The Collider in downtown Asheville. 

What does an amazing project product look like?

• It's possible! You've researched whether or not this can actually be done, and you've taken the flooding issues into account.

• It clearly takes Riverlink's mission into account.

• It clearly takes the City of Asheville's strategic priorities into account.

• It is focused on one clear change to Azalea Park.

• It has an accurate and realistic budget based on research and expert knowledge.

• Your prototype (model) looks professional. You clearly got several rounds of feedback on it. The prototype is so awesome that an outsider can completely understand it without you having to explain anything to them.

What does a not-so-great project product look like?

• It has an inaccurate budget. (For example, you googled how much something costs instead of contacting professionals for estimates.)

• It isn't possible. (For example, you proposed putting an art museum on the site; we know this can't happen because of the flooding.)

• It doesn't take Riverlink's mission into account. (For example, you just want to install a playground or a gazebo. How can you make these things align with Riverlink's mission?)

• It doesn't take the City of Asheville's strategic priorities into account.

• It doesn't take Mountain Valley's conceptual design into account.

• It is too broad and suggests too many changes. (For example, you want a pollinator garden, an amphitheater and a playground all at once.)

• It doesn't take into account feedback from students, professionals and teachers.

• It's in some way harmful to the animals, plants, or people who use Azalea Park.

• Your prototype (model) is not professionally designed. (For example, you might have completed it quickly at the last minute, or maybe you didn't get any feedback on it; it might be difficult for other people to understand what's going on with your prototype.)