The first free yoga class at The Park in 2022.

On a cool spring morning, a happy collection of visitors spread out their towels and mats in a field overlooking a pond to enjoy a free outdoor yoga class. The class, the first in a series of yoga classes that will be offered twice a week through October, officially began what promises to be a busy and rewarding year for Flat Rock’s go-to destination for recreation and relaxation - The Park at Flat Rock.

History

The Park at Flat Rock came into being in 2013 when Flat Rock Village officials and community leaders banded together to purchase 66 acres of land formerly home to the Highland Lake Golf Club. The property was purchased for $1.15 million in June of that year and by December 2013 the rudimentary park trails opened for limited use.

The purchase was made possible by a $475,000 grant from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and an investment of $675,000 of taxpayer money by the Village of Flat Rock. Thanks to the vision and commitment of public and private community leaders, this relatively modest investment has blossomed into a park that is enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors each year and has come to be recognized as a model of successful park design and construction - all accomplished in a remarkably short period of time.

The Village’s vision for The Park was clearly articulated early on and still rings true today:

Vision: The Park at Flat Rock is a place for all generations to enjoy its natural beauty and reap the benefits of outdoor recreation and leisure while protecting and preserving the wildlife that make their home there.

In relatively short order, the first trail created around the perimeter of the park was supplemented with the Welcome Center in 2015, the Robert V. Staton Pavilion in 2016, and the Bryan Playground complex also in 2016. In the span of fewer than three years, the Park had already become a very popular destination for the residents of Flat Rock and the surrounding area. The success of the early vision was evident and The Park was quickly becoming one of the Village’s most popular amenities.

Additional park amenities followed shortly thereafter, including: 

The Maybank-Rhett Nature Center: a quiet place to observe wildlife, and to learn about flora and fauna unique to the area
The Boyd Deck: an observation deck providing an expansive view of The Park
The Quiet Place: a small, secluded shelter perched near the wetlands
Inspiration Point: an accessible deck overlooking the pond below the nature center
Eppler Overlook: a shady overlook positioned between a pond and wetland area

In 2019, the Tot Lot was constructed to supplement the original playground by providing a safe place for The Park’s youngest visitors to play and spend time outdoors with their families. Also during The Park’s early years, many new interior park trails were created to provide visitors access to the many and varied environments located in The Park - meadows, forested areas, and wetlands.

In the space of approximately seven years, what started as a dream became arguably the crown jewel of parks in our region. The perfect place to park your cares and lift your spirits.

Photo by Cathy Veal, Board Member Park Foundation.

Park Foundation and Commission

Much of that success can be attributed to the hard work of the Flat Rock Park and Recreation Foundation Inc. The Foundation’s original mission was to generate private donations to fund the many capital improvements undertaken during the first years of The Park. Today, the Foundation’s mission has shifted somewhat and it works to provide resources for sustainability, enhancements, and educational programming.

Maurean Adams, the first Development Director for the Foundation and current Foundation President, is understandably proud of what has been accomplished in just a few years. “We were able to tell the story to people who cared enough about the project to make this public-private partnership so successful,” she explains. “Together, we’ve turned this space into a park that is so loved by so many people. It’s a good feeling.”

Don Luy, the current Vice President of the Foundation is impressed with the Park’s ability to attract visitors - and dollars - from people all over. “We’ve come to realize that this is a regional park. People will come from out of town and tell us how much they love the Park - and end up giving us a donation.”

In addition to the Foundation, there is a Park Commission composed of local volunteers who oversee the development, operation, and maintenance of The Park at Flat Rock and advise the Village Council on decisions regarding The Park. The Commission is also charged with efforts to educate its residents on the positive effects of recreational pursuits on physical fitness and well-being.

Today, The Park is inhabited by an increasingly wide variety of indigenous animals and plants. In addition to the structural amenities, The Park is now home to a collection of beehives, a pollinator garden, a wildflower meadow, and several revitalized ponds that have become a welcome habitat for birds, small animals, and insects of all types. Don Luy celebrates The Park’s ability to connect people with the natural world. “The Park is very nature-based. Visitors can enjoy its beauties and wonders which promote and support our physical, mental, and emotional health.”

Park Programs

The schedule of Park programming in place for 2022 is both varied and extensive.

•Free Yoga: Hosted by YAM in Hendersonville, Pardee UNC Healthcare, and the Foundation - is available at no charge each week at 5:30 on Thursday afternoons and 10 am on Saturday mornings.

•Nature Walks will be hosted every 4th Saturday of the month at 10 am. Program topics this year include Pollinators, Bees and Beekeeping, Blue Birds, Birdwatching, and Season’s Changing

•Nature Immersion/Forest Bathing will be hosted on the 3rd Saturday of each month from April through September at 10 am. Local author, Roger Bass, is certified as a guide by the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy Guides. The walk will be less than a mile and focus on experiencing nature through our senses while breathing in the healing forest air.

•Arbor Day Celebration Saturday, April 30th at 11 am. There will be a tree planting and the event is part of Flat Rock’s commitment to being designated as part of the Tree City USA initiative.

•The 5th Annual Pumpkin Sale will be held on October 8th and100% of all purchases go directly to the sustainability of The Park at Flat Rock.

•Pictures in the Park: A professional photography session for couples, families, and well-behaved dogs. “Suggested donation” of $10 per session with 100% of donations going directly to support the sustainability of The Park. Dates and times to be determined.

The Park at Flat Rock is clearly both beautiful and very popular. But how do you measure its worth to a community? For Maurean Adams, the value can be measured in several ways. “It’s about health and wellness. It’s a safe and comfortable place for people of all ages to get outside and be with friends. It also creates a real sense of community and that helps with Flat Rock’s identity. It makes it a better village in all kinds of ways.”

Tracey Daniels, Development and Programming Director for the Park Foundation, believes you can sense the worth as you stroll the pathways. “There is just something palpable when you walk the trails at The Park. Everyone is happy and polite and smiling. And it’s a great place for people of all ages. Kids love the playground. Grandparents enjoy the trails. Our furry friends love the park. It’s just a happy, healthy place.”

Tracey adds that the Park is not admired by just area residents, noting that there are many municipalities across the country that look to The Park as a model for success. “I get 5-10 calls a year from communities across the country wanting to model their projects after what we’ve accomplished at The Park. They want to know how we accomplished so much so quickly. They want to know about the dynamic between the Foundation and the Village government - how to make that work. It is definitely an envied park across the country.”

Volunteers working in the Pollinator Garden

The Park at Flat Rock is made possible by hundreds of individuals who volunteer their time, talents and money to build, sustain, and operate The Park. In 2020, a new program called Friends of the Park was implemented to help raise the funds necessary to keep the Park as a premier outdoor recreation locale. To date, 220 individuals have joined the Friends. Collectively they donated $84,000 in Fiscal Year 2021 and they are on their way to achieving their goal of raising $100,000 in FY 2022. Membership in the Friends organization requires a minimum modest contribution and many donors consider their gifts to be a form of “gym” membership for the many hours of convenient, safe, - and flat! - exercise in a beautiful natural setting. Learn more about the Friends here.

The Park at Flat Rock also has a strong community of volunteers that donate their time and skills to enhance The Park. Volunteer Trail Rovers help stock brochures and keep trails clean. Volunteer Gardeners maintain the beautiful pollinator garden and volunteer naturalists host a variety of free public programs each weekend throughout the summer. In addition, the bluebird houses and beehives are managed by volunteers, and even the Park Commission is a volunteer board made up of dedicated park users and community members. Anyone interested in volunteering can learn more here.

Ultimately, the extraordinary popularity of The Park can be gauged by the full parking lot, the delighted squeals of young children in the playgrounds, the quiet contentment of couples strolling on the many trails, and the wagging tails of dogs leading their owners around The Park. The sites and sounds of the Park’s natural beauty - both flora and fauna - create a place that is magical in its ability to inspire, renew, and refresh. All of which makes The Park at Flat Rock one of the crown jewels of a Village that had a vision and built a dream.

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The Park at Flat Rock: Open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week. Located at 55 Highland Golf Drive, Flat Rock, NC 28731. For facility reservations and more information about the Park at Flat Rock, contact the Village of Flat Rock at 828-697-8100.