Press Release - Friends of Connect Buncombe

For Time Sensitive Release
November 5, 2015
Contact: Suzanne Molloy
[email protected]
828-216-3290
Friends of Connect Buncombe Debuts Countywide Trail and
Greenway Brand.
In September 2012, Buncombe County adopted a comprehensive Greenways and Trails Master Plan to guide regional
greenway development in the County. On Thursday, November 5th, Friends of Connect Buncombe, a local nonprofit,
introduced and bestowed a new brand identity to reflect this initiative to create trails and greenways in Buncombe
County and its municipalities which can come to represent the entire system while preserving the greenway/trail
names of individual municipalities and communities. This new identity can be expanded and shared to serve as a
creative vision for a connected system of trails and greenways for public usage to foster and promote
tourism, economic development, health, recreation, diverse and safe transportation options, and connect with our
community and the cultural heritage and natural beauty of Buncombe County.
The branding process included a broad based input effort. Over the summer, geographic and thematic input
meetings and research into the history of Buncombe County were initiated. The brand name is an easily recognizable,
concrete name and reaches to the nexus of why Asheville and Buncombe came to exist and will allow for a wide array
of marketing components that will satisfy a variety of needs and desires of the county. The brand system is flexible
and easy brand extension can be employed for many adaptive uses.
The new brand logo draws upon the existing Buncombe County government logo by incorporating dark blue
mountains and two evergreen trees set in the foreground of a trail. The brand is named in honor of the Buncombe
Turnpike which once served as one of the finest and most used roads in Western North Carolina and brought
prosperity and innovation to our mountains. Branding colors are all based upon colors found in nature.
David Gantt, Chairman of the Buncombe County Commissioners, said, “This new brand system powerfully connects
our past to our future and we are grateful for the leadership and support of Friends of Connect Buncombe in
catalyzing our efforts. Let’s all embrace and start using the brand.”
Friends of Connect Buncombe partnered with other greenway advocacy groups and selected Arnett Muldrow and
Associates to carry out the development of this new branding and marketing initiative. The costs were covered by
donations from members and sponsors and by in-kind services provided by Arnett & Muldrow and Associates.
About Friends of Connect Buncombe
Friends of Connect Buncombe is a nonprofit formed for the purpose of advocating and raising funds for the
implementation and construction of greenways and trails in Buncombe County. We are a collaborative organization
supporting all of Buncombe County. The goal is to construct a system of connected trails for public use to foster and
promote tourism, economic development, health, recreation, diverse and safe transportation options, and connect
with our community and cultural heritage and beauty of Buncombe County. The Greenways and Trails Master Plan
was adopted by the County Commissioners in September, 2012.
Event Location and Thank You
We would like to thank all of our sponsors for helping us put together our November 5th Debut Countywide
Greenway and Trail Celebration. In particular, we appreciate the support of DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville, for
hosting the event and thank their staff and chefs for creating such a wonderful event.
(See Attachments)
We are Buncombe Turnpike Trail Network,
Buncombe County, North Carolina.
The Buncombe Turnpike Trail Network:
Cultivating Our Connections
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’S)
Why do a brand for the trail network?
To create pride in a unified regional county vision for a greenway network in Buncombe
County and to create a consistent message to be used such that the network will serve as an
economic driver for the community. This brand can also serve as a marketing tool that unifies
all of the existing greenway initiatives without compromising their individual identities.
How did the name come about?
The name came about as a result of a series of geographic and thematic roundtable meetings
that involved over 100 stakeholders in Buncombe County. Their input coupled with research
on the history of Buncombe County resulted in a name that honors the richly historic role that
paths and trails have played in the community while providing a thought provoking name that
would invoke further curiosity.
Does this substitute for existing trail identities?
No. The brand is a compliment and a partnership with other trail networks. The goal is to
have a way to link existing greenways and trails to an eventual system that would truly
connect the County.
How should the new brand be used?
The brand should be used for trail heads, maps, brochures, directional signs, product
development (t-shirts, beers, etc.), advocacy and capital campaigns, marketing, business
development (i.e., Turnpike Café), and partnerships with corporate entities.
What will happen next?
The design and/or partner badges will be incorporated into existing and new networks. This is
the first step in a process of sharing the brand with the partner groups. Friends of Connect
Buncombe is pleased to present this identity system as a tool that any advocacy organization
focused upon greenway development in Buncombe County can use with the hope that it will
come to identity the entire network in the future.
Thank You To Our Event Sponsors
& Partners!
DEBUT GREENWAY
& TRAIL
CELEBRATION &
BRAND REVEAL
Thank You To Our Raffle & Silent Auction Donors!
131 Main
NC Stage Company
BT Burger Joint
Asheville Wine
Market
Greenville Parks &
Rec
Aloft
Oil and Vinegar
LAB
Anthropologie
Jonas Gerard
Brixx Pizza
P.F. Chang's
NC Arboretum
Sensibilities
Mast General Store
Green Sage Café
Travinia
Mellow Mushroom
Omni Grove Park
Malprops
Other Sponsors:
Mel & Terry Scholl Family
Ben and Bonnie Hamrick
Lucy & Jared Crown Family
Jamie Turner-Beverly Hanks
and Associates
Suzanne Molloy-Keller
Williams Professionals
Babcock Family
Thanks to Equinox for the donation of printing this program!
pike
Be Part
Walk
5 p.m. Registration Opens
Bike
5:30 p.m. WNC Themed Reception with
Hors d'oeuvres by Chefs at DoubleTree
Bar Open
Greenway and Sponsor Tabletops Open
Raffle Open
6:15 p.m. Program Begins
Recognition of Sponsors
Suzanne Molloy, Master of Ceremonies, VP Friends of Connect
Buncombe
Run
Commute
Welcome
Brownie Newman, County Commissioner and VP of Business
Development for FLS Energy
Stroll
Wheel
Friends of Connect Buncombe
Ann Babcock, President, Friends of Connect Buncombe
Float
pike
Program
Corporate Leadership
Leah Ashburn, President Highland Brewing and
Susanne Hackett, New Belgium
Community and Media Relations Specialist
Join Us!
Brewing For
Greenways
Hi-Wire Brewing
& Ben's Tune Up
American Sake
Brewery
Friends of Connect
Buncombe Annual
Speaker: Kate
Dixon, ED
Mountains to Sea
Trail
Friday, November
13th, 5:30 p.m.
Hi-Wire
197 Hilliard Avenue,
Asheville, NC 28801
Thursday, November
18th, 5:30 -7 p.m.
Comfort Suites: 890
Brevard Rd.,
Asheville, NC 28806
Swamp Rabbit as an Economic Driver
Ty Houck, Director of Greenways, Natural and Historic
Resources for Greenville County Parks,
Recreation and Tourism
Brand Reveal
Tripp Muldrow, Principal, Arnett Muldrow and Associates
Call to Action
David Gantt, Chairman, Buncombe County Commissioners and
local attorney
7:20 Reception Continues
7:30 p.m. Raffle and Silent Auction Winners Announed
8 p.m. Bar Closes