County Changes

Course on Swannanoa Library Closure After Public Outcry     

The Swannanoa community came together in an impressive show of solidarity and support after receiving the unexpected news in mid-February that the County planned to close the Swannanoa Library at the end of June. This decision was made by county management behind closed doors, and without any input or involvement from stakeholder groups or residents. The community was completely blindsided by the announcement.

After receiving the unwelcome news of the planned library closure, a group of volunteers from three local nonprofits — the Swannanoa Community Council (which owns the library building and has leased it to the County for decades), Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS), and Friends of the Swannanoa Library — sprang into action, disseminating information to the community and encouraging residents to speak up in support of continued library services in Swannanoa.

Swannanoa residents immediately rallied around the library, and sent a loud and clear message to the County Commission that the decision, and the manner in which it was made and communicated, was unacceptable. Community members wrote letters to the County Commissioners; were interviewed for news articles that began appearing in the press; posted signs in their yards; wrote letters to the editor; and showed up by the dozens to speak passionately and eloquently at a community conversation hosted by Commissioner Terri Wells at the Bee Tree Fire Station on Feb. 22.

A coordinated social media campaign brought Swannanoa residents out in full force for the regular County Commission meeting on March 7. Residents held signs on the street before the meeting, and packed the meeting chamber, as well as an adjacent overflow room. In all, twenty-two people spoke in support of the library during the public comment period.

Our collective voices clearly made an impact. In a surprise move at the beginning of the March 7 meeting, the Commission voted unanimously to approve a motion made by Commissioner Terri Wells "to give direction that the County Commission supports the exploration of options to continue and improve library services in the Swannanoa Valley, and that the Commission supports the continuation of library services at the existing location as options for the future are developed and implemented."

The County Commission's decision to keep the Swannanoa Library open represents a significant initial victory for the people of Swannanoa, and is a testament to the power our community has when we act together toward a common goal. Our work is not over, though. We must continue to STAND UP and SPEAK UP for expanded and improved library services FOR Swannanoa, IN Swannanoa. And we must hold our County Commissioners accountable to begin exploring options for those services in an open and transparent process that involves meaningful input from Swannanoa residents.

To find out more about how you can support this ongoing effort, please visit grovemontpark.org.

Swannanoa residents hold signs in front of the County Administration Building prior to the March 7 County Commission meeting.

Major New Development Planned for Former Beacon Mill Site

The former site of Swannanoa's Beacon Manufacturing Company — once the largest blanket manufacturing company in the world — will see new life beginning this spring, as plans move forward for a multi-phased development on the property. The plans were unveiled to the Swannanoa community by the project team in a series of standing-room only meetings held on February 28 at the former Swannanoa United Methodist Church.

The initial phase of the ambitious "Beacon Village" project, which has already broken ground, will feature a 4.7-acre paved bike park with slopestyle, jumpline, and pumptrack lines designed to accommodate a variety of skill levels and types of uses, including mountain bikes, push bikes, skateboards, inline skates and adaptive wheelchairs. A separate 1-mile natural surface trail for walkers, runners and bikers will encircle the bike park. The bike park and walking path are expected to be completed by summer/fall of 2024. Other initial project elements include an event lawn for movie and music events and picnicking; a food truck staging area; and sustainable landscaping.

According to the newly-launched project website, future phases of Beacon Village will include residential, commercial and industrial components "with a strong preference for partners in the outdoor industry, aligned in environmental and social sustainability goals and priorities, and powered by an intention to bring joy and fun to our community."

The entrepreneurial partners behind this project — Meredith Ellison, Brandon Ellison and Casey Watkins — have strong ties to the community (Watkins' grandparents worked at the Beacon mill). They're committed to honoring the mill's legacy, and creating a sustainable development model that will restore the mill site to a thriving hub of activity for the people of Swannanoa. All three partners are co-founders of Quility, the Swannanoa-based insurance company that purchased the 42-acre mill site in 2019. The site had been vacant since 2003, when an arsonist set a fire that burned the mill buildings to the ground.

The partners have set up a nonprofit that will invest $4.5 million into the first phase of the development as a "gift to the community," according to their website. The outdoor amenities will be open to the public. Fees for use of the bike park are under discussion, with a goal of making the park accessible and affordable to a wide range of users.

The Beacon Village website lays out the following vision for the property: "Picture a community gathering place where friends and families enjoy movies and concerts under the stars, riders rip across world-class pump tracks, and people connect over food at a bustling Sunday market, food truck roundup, or local eatery. At Beacon Village’s heart is a commitment to honoring the rich legacy of a community while creating new opportunities. The values of connection, beauty, play, and courage shape an exciting future where good jobs coexist with attainable housing, locally-owned businesses thrive, and green space and public art animate the walking trails."

To learn more about the Beacon Village project, visit their website atthebeacon.com. To read an article with additional details about the project, visit www.thevalleyecho.com, and search for "Beacon."

Black Mountain Siblings Get 'American Idol'

Golden Tickets

American Idol fans in the Swannanoa Valley have a couple of hometown favorites to root for in this season's competition, which kicked off on ABC on February 18. The episode that aired on March 3 opened with auditions by two Black Mountain siblings, Max and Laela Dasher.

Max was first up, singing his rendition of "Rock Salt & Nails," originally by Utah Phillips. His performance was met with applause from all three judges and a standing ovation from Katy Perry, who went on to say that Max had "the stuff. There's like an undeniable authenticity. It's like a gold rush." Judge Lionel Richie told Max that his mantra should be "I'm 18 and I look like James Dean."

Max earned three "yes" votes from the judges, and received a golden ticket, which means he's headed for Hollywood to compete in the next round of American Idol.

Max's sister Laela sang for the judges next, performing John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery," with her brother accompanying her on guitar. Her performance brought Lionel Richie to his feet, but Luke Bryan wanted to hear more, and asked the pair to sing an impromptu brother-sister duet. When it came time to vote, Laela earned two "yes" votes, and a golden ticket to Hollywood for the next round of the competition.

You can follow Max and Laela's American Idol journey on Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. on ABC. Their auditions are available to watch on You Tube. The siblings are releasing an album called “Places” in early May.

Photo courtesy of Disney/Eric McCandless

Swannanoa, the Singles Capitol of America?!

According to a recent study, the results of which were reported in Men's Journal magazine in March, our little home town of Swannanoa has been crowned the top spot in the U.S.A. for singles. Who knew?!

The news of Swannanoa's newly-acquired fame as the singles capitol of America was met with surprise (and quite a bit of laughter) by many local residents. To read some of the community reactions to the study, as reported by John Boyle in an Asheville Watchdog opinion column, visit avlwatchdog.org and search for "Swannanoa singles."

The study was conducted by Ownerly, a digital real estate platform. Apparently, they came up with their rankings by evaluating metrics that are most important to "unmarried individuals seeking a vibrant lifestyle." Swannanoa earned the top spot on the list, and was described as a "rural haven" with a generally outstanding quality of life based on metrics such as green spaces, crime, and cost of living. The study cited Swannanoa's natural beauty, leisurely rural life, picturesque trails, proximity to Asheville, and a "staggering 26.8% single population growth."

While the study's methodology and conclusions regarding the Swannanoa singles scene are certainly quite suspect, most of us can agree that our beautiful hometown is indeed a great place to be.

To read the Men's Journal article about the Ownerly study, click here.

Donations Needed for Owen High Community Service Awards

Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) established the annual Owen High Community Service Award in 2021 as a way to recognize graduating seniors for exemplary service to the Swannanoa Valley during their high school career. Award recipients receive a $500 scholarship applied directly toward their secondary education. With the help of funds raised through donations from the community, one or more deserving students have received the award each year. If you know of a student that you'd like to nominate for one of this year's Community Service Awards, please contact one of the school guidance counselors.

You can support this ongoing initiative by sending your tax-deductible donation to FANS at P.O. Box 697, Swannanoa, NC, 28778. Please write “Owen High Senior Award” in the memo line of your check. You can also click on the link below to make a secure online donation.

Your contribution will help inspire our students to give back to their community through service, while also assisting them in pursuing their post-secondary educational goals. The award(s) will be given at the Senior Awards Banquet in May; donations must be received no later than April 30. Thank you for your support!

Donate Now!

Pictured above is Houston Morrow, recipient of the 2023 Owen High Community Service Award, with FANS Board Member Samantha Gallman.

Zella's Deli Plans Swannanoa Opening

in April

Swannanoa's restaurant scene is expanding once again, with the planned mid-April opening of Zella's Deli. The New York-style neighborhood delicatessen will move from its current location in downtown Asheville to 2372 U.S. 70 in Swannanoa (the original Loott House location). The move is something of a homecoming for owners John Tressler and Ivey Lamos, and chef Michael Reppert, all of whom have ties to East Asheville, Swannanoa or Black Mountain.

“I’ve lived in the Swannanoa Valley for 20 years, and I’ve always felt like we really need a place where the service is fast, affordable and feels like home,” Tressler said. “We really want to build a community atmosphere in a place where locals can come grab breakfast, lunch or dinner at a reasonable price.” Re-creating the authentic taste and feel of the New York delicatessens that the owners grew up with is an important part of their mission.

The restaurant's menu will feature classic deli offerings like bagels and lox, pastrami on rye, and Italian and meatball subs. Most of the bread, pastries and desserts will be baked in-house, but the Kaiser and hoagie rolls, and the Italian rainbow cookies, come straight from the Big Apple.

Serving customers “proper sandwiches” at a fair price will remain a priority in the new location, according to Tressler. The restaurant plans to introduce a new dinner menu for Swannanoa. There will also be an under-$10 menu to keep the restaurant accessible and affordable to everyone. First responders and Buncombe County Schools teachers will receive a 10% discount.

Things have changed a lot in Swannanoa since Lamos moved there a decade ago, but there is an air of excitement, following the recent announcement of the nearby Beacon Village development. “I love Swannanoa, and I’m excited to be part of the growth that’s happening here,” she said.

Story content courtesy of The Valley Echo, www.thevalleyecho.com. Photo courtesy of Zella's Deli.

Catch a Live Theater Production of "Popcorn Falls" This Spring

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts Theatre will present a live production of "Popcorn Falls," a play by James Hindman, on the weekends of May 10 & 17. Show times are at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

The play focuses on the sleepy town of Popcorn Falls, which is forced into bankruptcy when a neighboring town threatens to turn them into a sewage treatment plant. Their only hope – open a theater! Two actors play over twenty roles in a world of farce, love, and desperation, proving once and for all that art can save the world.

Tickets are $20; $10 for students age 11-17. For more information and to reserve your seat, visit blackmountainarts.org/theatre. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is located at 225 West State St. in Black Mountain.

Swannanoa Scenes

Owen High Students Lend A Hand In Swannanoa Community Garden

Members of the Owen High School SERVE to LEAD club recently donated their time to help prepare spring planting beds at the Swannanoa Community Garden. This amazing group of students continues to lead by their example, encouraging all of us to give back to our community. Thank you!

The Swannanoa Community Garden is sponsored by Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS), and is a "Garden That Gives." Vegetables grown in the garden are donated to Bounty & Soul and other organizations that serve our neighbors in need. Garden volunteers are needed throughout the growing season. If you have a little time to spare, please contact Garden Manager Sandy Drake at 828-318-5685 or sandyjean51@gmail.com. No prior gardening experience is required. All are welcome!