Neighborhood Grants

 City of Asheville Neighborhood Matching Grants 

2022-2023 Narrative

WECAN 2022-2023 Neighborhood Matching Grant Narrative 

WECAN has so very much enjoyed its experience with our first Neighborhood Matching Grant that we are happy to come back for another!

In our 2021-2022 grant cycle, WECAN focused on our Queen Carson Community Garden & Owens-Bell Park. We ended up with over 200 volunteer hours & additional in-kind donations for what started as a $5000.00 grant total but ended up being closer to a $7500 total value once all was said and done. More than anything, this grant has helped us to energize our community, which has been the best possible outcome! Again, we are most appreciative!

For the 2022-2023 NMG, WECAN is choosing to focus on four areas in our neighborhood, all within NC DOT Right of Ways.

The first and most prominent is what we call our “Sign Garden”. This garden was established over 20 years ago and is due for a reimagining. It sits on the corner of Hilliard & Clingman and is the gateway to our community. We are asking for $4000 of this grant to go towards a new fence, all new planting and some hardscape.

WECAN Sign Garden on the corner of Clingman & Hilliard

The second and equally important area is what we call the “Clingman Streetscape”. This encompasses both sides of Clingman Avenue from Clingman Avenue Extension to the Roundabout @ Roberts Street. This new streetscape was dedicated by the COA in 2012, yet the COA has yet to provide any funding for nor annual maintenance of this beautiful amenity, leaving its upkeep to our neighborhood. We have been fortunate that the River Arts District Business Association has been funding its mowing since 2013 and this year we would like to expand on & support their efforts. We are asking for $4000 towards the annual maintenance of the Clingman Streetscape. RADBA has pledged $1500 cash & WECAN will provide $500 worth of volunteer hours to round this up to match the $2000 cash from the COA. This level of funding would allow us to do more than the bare minimum currently happening and address some of our kudzu issues.

Clingman Ave before circa 2008 • Clingman Ave after the Streetscape was completed circa 2012

Our third project is related and is what WECAN calls its “Edible Triangle”. This garden sits on the corner of Clingman Avenue and Clingman Avenue Extension, in front of the Grey Eagle and came about as the result of a large sink hole that formed in 2014 under Clingman Avenue. Its repair seriously damaged the planting installed as part of the Clingman Streetscape. WECAN asked and received agreement from the NC DOT to install an edible garden where a large stand of grasses used to be. WECAN planted 18 blueberries & 3 fig trees. Many of the blueberries did not survive so we would like to amend & fortify this soil and replant. To that end, we are asking for $1000 towards this project.

Our fourth and final project focuses on the WECAN Urban Trail. This trail, connecting the dead ends of Park Avenue North and Jefferson Drive serves many purposes. WECAN neighbors walk themselves and their dogs daily thru this lovely oasis. It also handles a fair amount of storm water from the COA bus garage. WECAN neighbors do regular maintenance here but could use some funding to site a proper sitting bench, the planting of some native trees and more kudzu control. We are asking for $1000 to go towards this effort.

The project costs for these 4 areas of focus total $10,000. $5,000 cash from the COA, $1500 cash from RADBA and the balance of $3500 to come either in the form of volunteer hours or in-kind donations from local businesses and neighbors. 

City of Asheville Award Letter August 2022

Map of all of the areas covered in several agreements with the COA... 

all either City or NC DOT ROW or real property!