Work on a new pool at Malvern Hills Park starts before year's end after a $4.4 million contract. It opens for summer 2028; here is where to swim in 2027.

West Asheville is getting its public pool back, but not until the summer of 2028. Construction of a new pool at Malvern Hills Park will start before the end of this year.

The Asheville City Council approved the construction contract Tuesday. The city said the pool is scheduled to open for the 2028 swim season, so there will be no swimming at Malvern Hills next summer. The city’s Oct. 27 announcement lists three other public pools to use in 2027.

What the council approved

The council’s summary of Tuesday’s actions lists the pool among its consent agenda items:

  • $4.4 million construction contract amendment with Harper General Contractors Inc.
  • Up to $560,000 more in change orders, the project’s contingency
  • The work: a new municipal pool, plus a renovated pool house
  • The money: the 2024 Parks General Obligation Bond that Asheville voters approved

The published agenda records the resolution as adopted unanimously.

What the new pool will have

The city said residents’ input shaped the final design. It includes:

  • a wading entry, so people can walk in gradually
  • lanes for lap swimming
  • a “maximized” deep end
  • the exterior of the historic 1935 pool house, kept as it is
  • upgraded rooms and amenities inside the pool house

A rendering is on the city’s West Asheville pool project page.

“Reaching the construction phase brings us one step closer to bringing public swimming back to West Asheville,” Parks and Recreation Director D. Tyrell McGirt said in the announcement.

What it means for you

If you live near the park, the city said to expect site preparation, heavy equipment and material deliveries. Security fencing will go up around the pool and the staging areas.

  • Construction noise is allowed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under the city’s noise ordinance.
  • The contractor may work on Saturdays when needed.
  • Parts of the paved walking loop around the pool will close.

If you use the park, the playground, picnic shelter, parking lot and sports courts are meant to stay open throughout. The city said any other temporary closures will be posted on site signs and on the project updates page, where you can also subscribe.

If you swim, these are the public pools the city points West Asheville families to for 2027. It said each is typically a 10- to 15-minute drive from Malvern Hills:

Pool Address
Grant Southside Center 285 Livingston St., Asheville
Hominy Valley Pool 25 Twin Lakes Road, Candler
Erwin Pool 58 Lees Creek Road, Asheville

Our summer camps and pools guide will carry 2027 hours and season dates as the operators publish them.

How the city is building it

The city is using a method called construction manager at risk. The builder joins the designers early and agrees on a guaranteed maximum price before groundbreaking. The city said that is meant to control costs and keep the pool on track for the 2028 season.

Malvern Hills Park is at 75 Rumbough Place. For more about the area, see our West Asheville neighborhood guide and our parks and trails guide.