ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County Parks & Recreation Department has received a $4,475,000 grant from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program to support the purchase of Deaverview Mountain, officials announced Monday.
Combined with funding from the Land and Water Fund recently secured by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, the grants provide the resources needed to acquire the mountain for preservation and development as a public park.
The acquisition is expected to protect the area from development, expand public access to trails and scenic overlooks, enhance outdoor recreation opportunities and preserve biodiversity and water quality in the surrounding watershed.
“Deaverview Mountain will be one of the largest parks in our community — second only to the proposed 1,600-acre Pisgah View State Park,” Parks & Recreation Director Allison Dains said in a news release. “It will be preserved not only for its natural beauty and significant ecosystem, but also as a space for outdoor recreation, environmental education and connection with nature.”
The grant will be presented to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners later this month for formal acceptance. Final steps in the acquisition, including due diligence, closing and planning public access, will be completed in partnership with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
Once the land is acquired, county staff will begin design and planning work to guide the development of trails, facilities and public amenities that balance recreation with conservation goals.
In May 2024, the commissioners approved allocating about $10.7 million from a general obligation bond for open space projects, including $7.7 million to protect 337 acres on Deaverview Mountain. The funding represents the largest single commitment from the $30 million open space bond approved by voters in November 2022.
