West End/Clingman Avenue Neighborhood, Inc, (WECAN) is a non-profit neighborhood association formed to promote and guide the process of revitalization of this historic neighborhood located on the edge of downtown Asheville, North Carolina. Please see the 19 years worth of WECANNewsletters enclosed, as well as The “WECAN Chronology” further down, for more detailed information about all that we do.
The major purpose of our organization is to preserve, protect and promote our neighborhood as a safe place to live and raise a family, with respect for our collective history and reverence for the natural surroundings. In pursuit of this goal we engage in a number of classes of activities. With no preference of importance, since they are all essential to the accomplishment of our goals, they are as follows:
Neighborhood Involvement: Our organization is deliberately structured so that all residents are members, if they so choose. This includes resident property owners as well as those who rent dwelling in WECAN. There are no membership fees. WECAN holds monthly board meetings the first Thursday of the month @ 64 Clingman Avenue @ 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
WECAN hosts the website: www.wecannews.blospot.com as well as a neighbors only Facebook Page titled “West End/Clingman Avenue Neighborhood/WECAN”.
WECAN also hosts a page on Nextdoor.com titled Wecan. In addition, WECAN publishes monthly minutes from its board meetings, produces an annual WECANNews letter and maintains an archive of all of its good works.
Neighborhood Improvement: From an Adopt-a-Highway Program in its 21st year, to regular WECAN Garden Club projects including a Sign Garden & a WECAN Sunny Cultural Garden as well as special workdays to tackle larger projects and the Queen Carson Community Garden for food production, WECAN has been and continues to be a good steward of its environs. Over the years, WECAN has worked with recruits from The United Way, Warren Wilson College, Asheville GreenWorks, The French Broad River Academy and more for those larger projects. WECAN also has Memorandums of Understanding with the City of Asheville and the NC DOT to help with the maintenance of Owens-Bell Park, and the many COA & NC DOT right of ways that are locate in WECAN.
WECAN has encouraged and collaborated with the efforts of the Ashevillle Police Department and the Buncombe County Sheriff to reduce the incidence of crime and improve the safety of the neighborhood. As a result, we have succeeded in taking back Aston Park for the use of the neighbors, reduced prostitution, worked to
address homelessness in our community and educated our residents as to best management practices for their homes and vehicles.
WECAN has worked closely with the River Arts District artist community on its western edge, to create the WECAN tiles that adorn our sidewalks and homes, the weather vane that graces the WECAN sign garden, three bus shelters & two kiosks along Clingman Avenue to showcase and support the River Arts District that is home to over 200 artists in 2018 (up from 25 in 2003).
WECAN’s volunteers have also served on City Commissions, Boards and community boards including Asheville Area Riverfront Redevelopment Commission, The Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Advisory Committee, Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, Aston Gateway Community Board, Mountain Housing Opportunities, Asheville Design Center, Green Opportunities and Neighborhood Leadership Roundtable.
Neighborhood Preservation & Celebration: WECAN is committed to preserving the character, tradition and history of our neighborhood. This is not without its challenges. Our application for inclusion on the National Historic Register, for the residential section of WECAN, was unsuccessful, yet the Riverside Industrial District application, for the commercial district, was granted. While we were unable to save The Ice House property, we were able to convince the City of Asheville to restore the Ice House Smokestack as a heritage landmark.
WECAN works regularly with the City of Asheville by providing ongoing participation in focus & stakeholder groups working on topics as varied as Gentrification, Riverfront Redevelopment, Affordable Housing, Recreation and Greenways. WECAN recently succeeded in having a watercourse that runs through WECAN, as well as the proposed Greenway that surrounds that “branch” named after The Bacoate Family who has lived in WECAN since the 1940’s, hence The Bacoate Branch & The Bacoate Branch Greenway!
WECAN regularly celebrates our neighbor’s birthdays & accomplishments with Moveable Feasts & Pot Luck Parties.
Neighborhood Futuring: WECAN is one of two neighborhoods to create a neighborhood master plan. The WECAN Citizen’s Master Plan was adopted in 2008, by the City of Asheville. WECAN’s efforts such as this, as well as constant participation voicing concerns and suggestions around any and all development that effects our neighbors that has won WECAN citywide respect. WECAN has participated in projects as varied as: RAD TIP, RAD Form Based Code, Clingman Streetscape Project, 2015 COA Alternatives to Gentrification Report, Leadership Roundtable for New Belgium Brewery, Haywood Road Form Based Code, Ice House property & 14 Riverside Drive acquisition, , The Duke Energy Substation @
Clingman & Patton, preservation of the Historic Smokestack @ the Ice House, Asheville Design Center’s Pedestrian Bridge @ Jean Webb Park, The Riverside Drive
Strategic Plan, COA 2025 Plan, The Downtown Development Plan, The WC Reid / Arthur R. Edington Education & Career Center Renovation, East of the Riverway Community Plan, The Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, , The Craven Street Improvement Project, MSD review of sewer in WECAN.
Currently, there are 4 apartment complexes in the planning stages or under construction in WECAN. Two of these projects are majority affordable units, while the other two are market rate. In the past 5 years, over 20 single-family homes have either been built or substantially renovated, drawing new neighbors to WECAN. Over the years, WECAN has participated in the planning processes of Merritt Park Condos, Clingman Lofts, Prospect Terrace, 100 Park Avenue, RAD Lofts, 95 Roberts Street, Patton Place Apartments and 338 Hilliard Avenue.
Additionally, WECAN has worked for the past two years with Duke Energy to help a new electric substation fit the needs of our community. WECAN, with its partners from the River Arts District Business Association & the South French Broad Community to our east have convinced Duke Energy to build its firs Gas Insulated Substation, which will provide safer, quieter and less visually damaging energy for the entire Downtown of Asheville.
WECAN Chronology 1998 thru 2018
1998
In March, WECAN started an Adopt A Highway Program. WECAN does clean ups of Clingman Avenue 4 times a year for over 20 years now!
1999
A Beautification Committee was formed and began its work resulting in plantings at Clingman / Hilliard and the Grey Eagle Intersections. The plantings were dedicated at the June annual Meeting and picnic at Aston Park. We did a two-day workshop with William and Marianna Bailey facilitating our work. At this workshop we AGREED to develop a neighborhood plan, to visually unite and identify the neighborhood, to develop a neighborhood history project and plan a community wide celebration. In July, a beautification award was made to WECAN. In the fall, we received a second award for neighborhood beautification and conducted a neighborhood Walk-Through with heads of all City Departments. In December, we all went caroling.
2000
This was a busy year as we prepared to conduct, under the guidance of community planning consultants, a Community Design Workshop. We approved the Landscape Resources Inventory prepared by Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) and
conducted a major clean up on Club and Trade Streets (the site of many years of illegal dumping). Further work on this site, was conducted by Carolina Power and Light and CP&L agreed to pay for the development of Bianca Gardens, a mini park to be planted with edibles. Neighborhood clean ups and plantings continued throughout the year.
In November, the Community Planning Process was held. A completed report of this process, funded by the City of Asheville (COA) and MHO was produced. Many neighborhood residents participated in the development of these plans which we subsequently announced to the entire community at a public meeting.
2001
In January, we heard updates on 1.) the Community Planing Process, 2.) the plans for the i-26 connector and 3.) the progress on the National Register of Historic Neighborhoods Application.
February saw a report for COA staff on the status of the I-26 Connector project. At regular meeting in March, April and May, reports were received on the new Merrit Park Condominiums and we discussed uses for the new Community Room there. We met with Asheville Police Department (APD) about ongoing issues in Aston Park, reviewed infrastructure plans and discussed making Club and Trade Streets one-way. The Preservation Society proposed use of a vacant lot in the neighborhood as a headquarters and the proposal was discussed at length, as were neighborhood infrastructure plans and the COA neighborhood matching grant program. We previewed the neighborhood logo and sign. A student volunteer project in conjunction with Warren Wilson College was also discussed and approved.
In August, 300 students from Warren Wilson College joined the neighborhood residents in a massive clean up and beautification project, which was followed by the WECAN Annual meeting in Aston Park, where WECAN announced the Green Grant program and distributed applications.
WECAN continued work with the consultant who is preparing our application for the National Register of Historic Districts. Research for the application was begun. We also reviewed the streetscape plan for Hilliard Avenue, the major gateway to the West End.
In December, we held a Refreshment Sale for the Annual Asheville Christmas Parade.
2002
WECAN approved 10 residents for Green Grants for small beautification projects throughout the neighborhood. A planting workshop was held for all WECAN residents and planting began in May. An Art & Garden project got its start with help from MHO. More work was done cleaning up Aston Park and making it useable for the neighborhood residents. WECAN sponsored a workshop on this subject, involving COA, Buncombe County (BC) and community stakeholders. The COA completed the build out of the Hilliard Streetscape Design. Neighbors developed a
plan to mow and maintain the new median. Further consideration was given to a Brownfields grant possibility.
2003
Local Artist, Dianna Gillespie worked with WECAN in 2003 to design and fabricate ceramic tiles which incorporate the WECAN logo designed by neighbors, Joe Fioccola, Luella Heetderks & Jessie Nell Coleman. The Clingman Forest Greenway is in the planning stages.
2004
Mountain Housing Opportunities breaks ground on Prospect Terrace, a 17 units affordable and green condominium project. Two sections of WECAN were put on the National Register of Historic Places. The Riverside Industrial District (Ref # 04000825) which is comprised of a number of our historic warehouse buildings down along our commercial end & The Clingman Avenue Historic District (ref# 04000583) that goes roughly along Clingman Avenue from Hilliard Avenue to Haywood Street. WECAN hosted a huge clean up along the Future Clingman Forest Greenway. Several WECAN board members began serving as stakeholders to the Clingman Streetscape Project. In September, parts of WECAN were once again underwater from Hurricanes Frances and Ivan. The French Broad River crested at 14.45 feet. WECAN organizes a Neighborhood Watch Program.
Ongoing for 2004
Aston Park redesign
Oral History Project
Clingman StreetScape Project
Garden Club projects
2005
WECAN held an all day Neighborhood Retreat at the Daniel Boone Boy Scouts Council. Duke Energy Progress does a $2 million restoration of the old Lamp Gas Plant @ 14- 30 Riverside Drive.
Ongoing for 2005
Aston Park redesign
Oral History Project
Owens-Bell Park
Clingman StreetScape Project
Annual Pool Party @ Hanger Hall
Garden Club projects
2006
Jessie Coleman’s mother, Hattie Lou smith passed away after living in WECAN for over 50 years. Uncle Levie Wilson turned 100 so we made a huge banner & had a
Moveable Feast in his honor! WECAN dedicated Owens-Bell Park on September 4th with over 50 people in attendance including the Honorable Mayor Terry Bellamy.
“WECAN: Finding its Place through Change and Challenge”, an oral history project conceived by WECAN neighbors with help from Betty Hurst from Handmade in America and a Ford Foundation Grant was completed. WECAN got the City of Asheville to stockpile over 2000 linear feet of granite curbstones, removed from Jefferson Drive & Park Avenues during the installation of new sidewalks, for future reuse in WECAN.
Ongoing for 2006
Aston Park redesign
Oral History Project
Owens-Bell Park
Clingman StreetScape Project
Annual Pool Party @ Hanger Hall
Garden Club projects
2007
In 2007, The WECAN Garden Club established the WECAN Sunny Cultural Garden in the City of Asheville’s Owens-Bell Park. This garden contains heritage plants from many of our neighbors as well as repurposed granite curbstones that came from Park Avenue and a Red Maple in celebration of our Mayor Terry Whitmire Bellamy. WECAN worked with the NC DOT to get them to fix a broken stormwater pipe that was flooding the intersection of Roberts Street and Haywood Road. In August, WECAN hosted the National Night Out in Aston Park, resplendent with luminaria glowing all along South French Broad Avenue. Portraits of Mr. Owens and Mr. Bell were set in the WECAN Sunny Cultural Garden thanks to the efforts of Ms. Gloria Howard Free and the COA Parks & Recreation Department.
Ongoing for 2007
Aston Park redesign
Oral History Project
Owens-Bell Park
Clingman StreetScape Project
Annual Pool Party @ Hanger Hall
Garden Club projects
2008
After many years, the City of Asheville adopted the WECAN Citizen’s Master Plan to serve as a guiding document for future development in WECAN. WECAN lost a good soul when sculptor John Payne passed away in July. John was responsible for our Bus Shelter on the corner of Clingman and Hilliard. WECAN is happy to report that construction has begun for the Aston Park Renovations that include new playground equipment, walking trails, a new gazebo & a new Tennis Center. In October, President Barak Obama made an appearance in WECAN to eat barbeque at 12 Bones. Then WECAN Chair Alfie Rodiguez spearheaded the Aston Park Fit
Initiative, to put a second set of playground equipment in Aston Park through a Fit Communities Grant of $60,000 working with UNCA and the City of Asheville.
Ongoing for 2008
Aston Park redesign
Oral History Project
Owens-Bell Park
Clingman StreetScape Project
Garden Club projects
2009
In March WECAN celebrated the completion of the newly renovated Aston Park. WECAN continued to assist in the Aston Park Fit Initiative. In August WECAN did a Labor Day clean up in Owens-Bell Park and signed a maintenance agreement with the COA for said park. WECAN wondered about asking to use the land under the large Pepsi Billboard for a Community Garden. In October, WECAN partnered with South French Broad Neighborhood & COA Parks & Recreation Department and called it our Twilight Together Party in Aston Park!
Ongoing for 2009
Aston Park redesign
Oral History Project
Owens-Bell Park
Clingman StreetScape Project
Aston Park Gateway Community Board
Garden Club projects
2010
WECAN hosts SORBA to further the discussion of the creation of an Urban Mountain Bike Skills Park imder the 1-240 Bridge. WECAN Garden Club hosted another “Love on Owens-Bell Park” days, home to our Moveable Feast Pot Luck Dinners. WECAN has succeeded in getting the Pedestrian Bridge over I-240 opened back up for foot traffic. This is a necessary pedestrian amenity for our neighbors to our north who live in Hillcrest. WECAN worked on the AARRC Between the Bridges Initiative as a stakeholder. WECAN succeeded in getting the COA to address the ongoing public nuisance that is the Ice House Property. WECAN Garden Club tackled the encroaching Kudzu on Jefferson Drive.
Ongoing for 2010
Hillcrest Pedestrian Bridge Issue
Clingman StreetScape Project
RAD TIP
Aston Park Gateway Community Board
Urban Mountain Bike Skills Park under I-240
Removal of the CP&L Fence @ 14 Riverside Drive
Aston Park Civil War Markers
100 Park Avenue
East of the Riverway
AARRC Between the Bridges Small Area Plan
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
Water Challenges @ 96 South French Broad Avenue
Ice House Property
Garden Club projects
Homelessness in WECAN
2011
In February, WECAN partnered with Warren Wilson College & Yancy Landscaping to clean up the creek bed in Owens-Bell Park, removing the black willows from said
creek, with help from a Warren Wilson College Farm Crew & three volunteers from
Yancy Landscaping. The Farm Crew took buckets of Black Willow cuttings back to populate and stabilize a creek bank on the Warren Wilson College campus.In April, WECAN lost another set of buildings… this time it was the Dave Steel complex (circa 1920) to demolition. The on going problem of graffiti helped bring its demise. WECAN participated the “Stand Against Racism” event in Aston Park on April 29th.
On May 12th, our long time neighbor, Jessie Nell Coleman was honored as a “Living Treasure” of Asheville. WECAN Garden Club hosted a clean up of the dead end of Jefferson Drive. In November, First Light Solar moved into WECAN @ 130 Robert Street. On New Years Eve, the old Silver Dollar restaurant that has been in this neighborhood for over 70 years was reopened under the new name of “The Asheville Public”.
Ongoing for 2011
Hillcrest Pedestrian Bridge Issue
RAD TIP
Clingman StreetScape Project
Aston Park Gateway Community Board
Urban Mountain Bike Skills Park under I-240
Removal of the CP&L Fence @ 14 Riverside Drive
Aston Park Civil War Markers
100 Park Avenue
East of the Riverway
AARRC Between the Bridges Small Area Plan
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
Water Challenges @ 96 South French Broad Avenue
Ice House Property
Garden Club projects
Homelessness in WECAN
2012
In February, WECAN set up our Block Jessie program to help with neighborhood communication, so named in honor of two of our favorite people, Jessie Nell Coleman and Jessie Mae Jones. In March, WECAN hosted a clean up around the Hillcrest Pedestrian Bridge and celebrated the installation of a Bike Fix IT station on Haywood Road at the Roundabout. In May, New Belguim Brewery announced it selected Asheville for its East Coast Brewery and Distribution Center, right across the river from WECAN. In June, the COA received a donation of the building @ 14 Riverside Drive from PSNC/ Scanna, our gas utility. It will be part of a large infrastructure project to be known as RAD TIP. On June 5th, WECAN hosted a huge street parade and party called the Clingman Circle Celebration to cap off an 8 year planning process that culminated in the beautiful new $1.2 million Clingman
Streetscape. Thank YOU! To the NC DOT and the City of Asheville! In November, WECAN published its annual WECANNews letter and the COA purchased the Ice House property. WECAN was successful in lobbying to save the Ice House Chimney. In December we received an update on the I-26 Connector Project and we lost another of our elders, when Miss Evie Littlejohn passed away in her home on Rector Street.
Ongoing for 2012
The Ice House challenges
Hillcrest Pedestrian Bridge
Sustainable Communities Intiative: East of the Riverway
Neighborhood Kiosk @ Owens-Bell Park
Bike Fix It Station
WECAN Garden Club
Aston Park Gateway Community Board
NC DOT ROW conversation
Clingman StreetScape Project
Clingman Ped Head conversation
2025 Neighborhood Plan
Bike Skills Park under I-240
RAD TIP
I-26 Connector
Garden Club projects
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
2013
2013 was a year of loss for WECAN. In January, WECAN wrote a letter to Asheville City Council about the Ice House property… demolition of the Ice House began the same month. Neighbor, Luke Perry did a digital projection project on the side of the Ice House. At the end of January, The Benjamin Boling House aka The Club House, circa 1891, was demolished. Uncle Levie Wilson (just shy of his 107th birthday) & Carmen Smith passed away in late February & early March. Twice in April, the Cotton Mill ruins were set on fire.
In May we had a Baby Boom on Jefferson Drive, welcoming Alton & Jango & Rowan to WECAN.. Asheville Design Center hosted their summer intern Design Builders, with the resulting “13 Bones Bridge Project” next to Jean Webb Park. WECAN joined NextDoor.com at the suggestion of our Community Resource Officer. In August WECAN hosted an Aston Park Cookout! In September, WECAN earned a donation from the Asheville Half Marathon by providing staff for their event
Ongoing for 2013
Riverside Drive Development Plan
Ice House & Smokestack
RAD TIP
New Belgium Brewery Construction
ADC Summer Design Build Project
RAD Lofts
Alternatives to Gentrification Study
East of the Riverway Initiative
Ped Head Installation
100 Park Avenue
Roberts Street Sidewalks or lack there of
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
Garden Club projects
I-26 Connector
2014
WECAN hosted Jeff Staudinger from the COA for a chat about the Parks & Recreation Maintenance Facility at 338 Hilliard. The COA is interested in this becoming more affordable housing. WECAN once again worked with NC DOT Division of Highways to get them to fix the same broken stormwater pipe above the Haywood Road Roundabout. WECAN continues to research the possibility of a community garden for food production. Neighbor Rafael Rettig brought a stormwater issue to the WECAN board for consideration. WECAN notified the COA of a large sinkhole that has developed under the sidewalk on Haywood Road. Neighbor Luke Perry invited WECAN to “Open House” to review his plans for the renovation of one of the two remaining hand built brick houses on the old Yarrow Place, now Rector Street. WECAN held its first annual Halloween Celebration!
Ongoings for 2014
RAD TIP
14 Riverside Drive
RAD Lofts
Alternatives to Gentrification Study
East of the Riverway Initiative completed
New Belgium Brewery Construction
Short Term Rentals
Sink Hole on Haywood Road
Parks & Recreation Maintenance Facility
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
Queen Carson Community Garden
Garden Club projects
I-26 Connector
2015
WECAN signed the paperwork to establish the Queen Carson Community Garden, on City of Asheville Right of Way, at the corner of West Haywood & Jefferson Drive, for use by the entire community, for food production & neighborhood interaction. An Ice Cream Social was held in June. WECAN participated in a conversation about making Clingman Avenue Extension a one-way street. The NC DOT fixed the large
sinkhole on Haywood Road. In August, the Patton Place Apartments were announced which brings over 100 more market rate apartments to WECAN. WECAN held it 2ndannual Halloween Party. WECAN is seeing a building boom
for single-family homes. Neighbor Jessie Coleman’s photo was included in the time capsule placed in the Vance Memorial.
Ongoing for 2015
Creation of an Edible Garden
RAD TIP
Sink Hole on Haywood Road
14 Riverside Drive
Garden Club projects
I-26 Connector
RAD Form Based Code
RAD Lofts
New Belgium Brewery Construction
Short Term Rentals
Alternatives to Gentrification Study
Parks & Recreation Maintenance Facility
Queen Carson Community Garden
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
2016
The RAD Edible Garden in front of The Grey Eagle Music Hall was established in 2016 through a partnership with the NC DOT. After the NC DOT fixed the large sinkhole we brought to their attention, they agreed to contribute 3 Kousa Dogwoods, 3 Fig Trees & 6 Oak Leaf Hydrangas to replant the corner of Clingman Avenue and Haywood Road on NC DOT ROW. CURVE studios & John Webster provided mulch & funding for / or the actual 18 blueberry bushes while WECAN and Asheville GreenWorks provided tools and labor and more mulch. Duke Energy cut down 12 Sycamore Trees along Clingman Avenue, while doing distribution line work.
Ongoing for 2016
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
Getting Duke to replace the trees they cut down
RAD TIP
14 Riverside Drive
Garden Club projects
I-26 Connector
RAD Form Based Code
RAD Lofts
Queen Carson Community Garden
Parks & Recreation Maintenance Facility
Duke Substation
RAD Form Based Code
2017
In January, WECAN celebrated the 81st birthday of long time resident, Mrs. Jessie Mae Jones. Sadly, we buried her in August this year. In February, the WECAN Garden Club hosted work days on Kudzu Hill and at Luke Perry’s new home on Rector Street as he has renovated one of our two remaining historic brick houses (circa 1900) on what used to be known as Yarrow Place. In April we attended the Ribbon Cutting for the River Arts District Transportation Infrastructure Project (RAD TIP) and celebrated Dee Dee Littlejohn’s birthday at All Souls Pizza. May had us partying again, this time in Owens-Bell Park for Jessie Nell Coleman’s 79th Birthday. In July, WECAN & RiverLink & a group of COA dignitaries celebrated our neighbors Matthew & Osie Bacoate, at the dedication of the Bacoate Branch and Bacaote Branch Greenway, that took place at 14 Riverside Drive. In August, there was a WECAN GC workday @ the RAD Edible Garden pulling weeds and laying down a fresh layer of mulch provide by our friends at Asheville GreenWorks. Sadly, in September, we lost another neighbor, Sam Hartshorn, son of Majorie Vestal of Park Avenue. Then in October we celebrated the 60th birthday of Pattiy Torno plus a getting bigger every year Halloween Party on Jefferson Drive thanks to all the great work of Rebecca Lance and family! WECAN succeeded in getting 12 Washington Hawthornes planted by Duke Energy Progress. WECAN had to work with the NC DOT, to allow these more appropriately sized, as well as more bird & bee friendly trees to be used, as they are not on the NC DOT recommended list but matched others already in our landscape.
Ongoing for 2017
Duke Substation
RAD Form Based Code
RADTIP
RAD Lofts
14 Riverside Drive
Parks & Recreation Maintenance Facility
Bio Hazard Waste Burying by NC DOT
Clingman Forest to Bacoate Branch Greenway
Adopt A Highway 20th Year
Kudzu Hill/ Clingman Avenue Trees
Asheville Comp Plan
Ongoing challenges around Homelessness
MHO New Offices & 80 Affordable Apartments
Queen Carson Community Garden
Garden Club projects
I-26 Connector
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