05.21.2024

Today’s Forecast

78º | 24% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:20 a.m. | Sunset 8:32 p.m.

An inclusive playground on the way

Murphy-Oakley Community Center’s inclusive playground is coming soon

The redesigned murphy-oakley community center playground showing wheelchair accessible sidewalks, a rubber floor, and play areas like slides and canopies.

The new playground features wheelchair-accessible entry and a music area. | Photo via APR

Asheville Parks and Recreation (APR) will soon debut the city’s first playground designed for people of all abilities. Found at Murphy-Oakley Community Center (749 Fairview Rd.), the new design is meant to provide a more inclusive and equitable experience for people with disabilities and conditions like autism and sensory processing disorder, motor impairments, Down syndrome, and visual impairments.

The project was funded through a 2016 general obligation bond to upgrade parks and community centers throughout Asheville.

What’s included

Here are some of the features you can expect to see at the redesigned playground:

New sidewalks and a rubber surface to make the playground accessible to people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility
A “serenity spot” for playground visitors to have a peaceful place to take a break
Musical instruments and areas designated for cognitive play

Murphy-Oakley Community Center is also home to APR’s Therapeutic Recreation programs, which offer a variety of cooking, crafting, and adaptive sports opportunities for kids and adults with disabilities. In 2023, the program served more than 620 participants — check out the current schedule.

View of the murphy-oakley community center playground — The playground also includes slides and a spinning net climber.
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Photo via APR

Opening day

Installation of the playground is nearly complete, and once the final inspection is passed, it will be ready for the community to enjoy. It’s expected to open sometime during the coming month, but follow APR on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the know about an official date.

If you prefer to celebrate the playground’s opening with free ice cream, though, put Tuesday, June 25 on your calendar. The grand opening celebration kicks off at 1:30 p.m. with comments from APR director D. Tyrell McGirt, open play time, and sweet treats from Annie B’s Homemade Ice Cream.

Events

Tuesday, May 21

Phosphorescent | Tuesday, May 21 | 7 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $30-$35 | Catch the Americana singer-songwriter on tour for his latest album, “Relevator.”
5Point Adventure Film Screening | Tuesday, May 21 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville | $15-$25 | Get in touch with your adventurous side with a night of films presented by MountainTrue as well as a raffle from Mosaic Realty.
Kids Deserve Justice | Tuesday, May 21 | 4:30-7 p.m. | Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave., Asheville | $0-$30 | Enjoy live music by Jane Kramer and Rooster — along with an inflatable obstacle course, silent auction, kids’ face painting + more — benefiting nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services’ Children’s Law Program.*

Wednesday, May 22

Sensu Dance River Pop-Up | Wednesday, May 22 | 5:30 p.m. | Silver-Line Park, 1050 Riverside Dr., Woodfin | $15 | Let loose and dance along the French Broad River.
Jam with Teso | Wednesday, May 22 | 6-7 p.m. | LEAF Global Arts, 19 Eagle St., Asheville | Free | Young musicians can join Teso Ellis, LEAF Global Arts’ Spark the Arts artist in residence, for a jam session.

Thursday, May 23

Full Moon Yoga | Thursday, May 23 | 6-7:15 p.m. | Hoop House at Hawk Hill, 22 Hawk Hill Rd., Asheville | $15-$20 | Harness the heightened energy of the full moon for a grounding flow.
Tap into ASL | Thursday, May 23 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Barrel Room at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville | Free | Get instruction on American Sign Language, then practice your skills with fun activities.

Friday, May 24

Southside Family Movie Night | Friday, May 24 | 6-8 p.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville | Free | Invite the whole family for a showing of “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” — complete with popcorn and drinks.
Asheville Mindreading Show | Friday, May 24 | Times vary | Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $35-$45 | Take a seat for this interactive show where Jonathan Pritchard will read minds and predict the future.

Saturday, May 25

Ménage-á-Freak Carnival Event | Saturday, May 25 | 3-9:30 p.m. | Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave., Asheville | Free | Aerial performances + live music headline this playful carnival celebration.*

More to do this week

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Finance

Aspire to retire? This startup wants to help you plan.

grey haired man sitting on a bench in a park in the springtime, wearing a blue t-shirt and a green jacket, smiling at the camera

A financial advisor could help you save and invest for retirement. | Photo provided by SmartAsset

This Princeton grad’s startup raised $161M to help people plan for retirement.

If you’re one of the whopping 110 million Americans over age 50 — or a wise millennial planning ahead — SmartAsset’s free quiz makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors who serve your area. Research suggests that people who work with a financial advisor could end up with 15% more money to spend in retirement.¹

Ready to kickstart your retirement plans?

Get your financial advisor matches today

¹ “Journal of Retirement Study Winter” (2020). The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of your future results. Please follow the link to see the methodologies employed in the Journal of Retirement study.

Asked

What mood would be on Asheville’s daylist?

We recently asked you to help us create an Asheville-inspired daylist. Here are some of your creative suggestions. Vote for your favorite, and we’ll be back with tunes to match.

A. Eclectic funk hiking
B. Upbeat Americana outdoor dinner party
C. Mystical folk drum circle
D. Optimistic classic rock looking for a cheap parking space

Vote for your favorite

News Notes

Opening

Flour, the newest vendor in The S&W Market, will open for its first day of service this Friday, May 24. Get ready for breakfast biscuits, fluffy focaccia sandwiches, fresh pastries, and coffee.

Open

Chai Pani is getting back to business in its vibrant new space at 32 Banks Ave. Stop by for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. or for dinner from 5 to 9:30 p.m. to try new dishes and check out the colorful murals + flower-adorned ceilings.

Announced

Some paw-sitively amazing pups will be competing in the American Kennel Club Disc Dog Challenge at UNC Asheville’s Karl Strauss Track and Field facility on Sunday, June 2. A series of competitions will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — admission is free and open to the public.

Outdoors

Get your paddles ready because Woodfin’s Whitewater Wave could be rolling in soon. Preliminary work on the wave, a piece of the Woodfin Greenway and Blueway project, could begin in the next couple of weeks, with the potential for the project to be finished by the end of the year. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Eat

Huli Sue’s BBQ’s new set of wheels has hit the road. The food truck made its first appearance last weekend, but you can catch them this Sunday, May 26 at Archetype Brewing’s Tapped Out Drag Brunch from 1 to 5 p.m. to get your fill of poke nachos, pork katsu, and garlic chile shrimp.

Outdoors

Hike the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains or explore the Biltmore Estate when you stay at AutoCamp Asheville, your getaway to the calm of North Carolina. Pro tip: Book early for the best rates (AutoCamp Asheville’s doors open in June).*

Edu

“What’s next?” Do you remember being asked that when you graduated? For UNC Asheville 2024 graduates, this is their moment to shine. See what graduates are doing next — and the advice they have for future Bulldogs.*

Festival

Events

Get the popcorn ready for Cat Fly Film Fest

Join the audience for Cat Fly’s sixth festival. | Photo via Cat Fly Film Fest

Lights, camera, action. Cat Fly Film Fest returns this Thursday, May 23 through Sunday, May 26. With 20 short films, a feature film spotlight, and workshops, there’s plenty in the festival’s full schedule to be excited about.

Here’s the lowdown on a few events we have our eye on:

Festivities kick off on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at House of Black Cat Magic with Bring Your Own Film — come with a flash drive containing your film of 10 minutes or less to be screened (or just join the audience).
Check out VOWL, DSSOLVR’s new bar and event space, during Cat Fly’s Community Night on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Works of horror, sci-fi, and experimentation will get their turn on the big screen.
The fest wraps up on Sunday at Grail Moviehouse with a 4:30 p.m. showing of the feature film, “A Song for Imogene,” from Honey Head Films.

The Buy

Pet accessories. Have the prettiest pooch at the park with these themed prints for summer thanks to Covey Collection.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Grace

From the editor

Excited for Haywood Famous’ opening? Me too. Get a look at what the shop has to offer during a collaborative fundraising event with Coffee Curious Workshops on Friday, May 31. Your donation-based ticket will get you a lesson in Cuban coffee (as well as a delicious cup) with proceeds going to build the bar.

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