Forest Park update: halfway there

Press release from City of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The City of Gainesville’s Wild Spaces & Public Places program and the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department are happy to report the progress on renovations at Forest Park, located at 4501 SW 20th Ave. Work began in February, with the project anticipated to finish in the fall of 2023.

Improvements being made to the park include field drainage and lighting, the addition of a 2/3-sized soccer field, turf replacement, irrigation modifications, 13 new shade structures, 30 new bleachers, 2 full-sized basketball courts that are also lined for 6 pickleball courts, creation of small and large off-leash dog parks, two competition-quality sand volleyball courts, landscaping, benches, tables, fencing and much more!

Construction progress continues on schedule with the four soccer fields now complete and turf growth is underway. Light poles are in place on the fields and sports courts and structural supports for the shade sails are finished. Concrete work at the dog park entrance is also complete.

The approximate cost of the project is $2,667,877 for construction and $890,000 for sports lighting. To support the renovation of Forest Park, the Florida Legislature awarded Gainesville’s Wild Spaces & Public Places program a $200,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) matching grant.

Funded by the Wild Spaces & Public Places half-cent sales tax, the Forest Park project is the culmination of a collaborative effort between the City of Gainesville and its neighbors. After three years of planning, outreach, and focus groups, the park is finally becoming a reality!

A copy of the final plan set for Forest Park can be viewed here.

The park will be closed during the renovation. For a listing of Gainesville City Parks in the area, please visit the webpage at https://www.gainesvillefl.gov/Parks.