The Forest Park re-opening celebration was a success

The Forest Park renovation was celebrated with a ceremony and ribbon cutting followed by play in the park

Click here to view the event photo album

Over 100 neighbors came out this past Saturday to commemorate the completion of Forest Park, located at 4501 SW 20th Ave. Celebratory speeches were given under a park pavilion and a ribbon cutting was held in front of the multipurpose fields.

Following the 10 a.m. ceremony, the bustling park featured a scrimmage soccer game from the Gainesville Regional Soccer League while pickleball courts filled with Gainesville neighbors—including City Commissioners Casey Willits and Ed Book. Neighbors also enjoyed play in the small and large off-leash dog areas while sports spectators socialized on new seating protected by shade sails.

Funded by the Wild Spaces & Public Places half-cent sales tax, improvements to the popular multipurpose fields included: improved field drainage and turf replacement, the addition of a 2/3-sized multipurpose field, 13 new shade structures and 30 new bleachers.

Additional improvements to the park included: pickleball and basketball court surfacing, creation of small and large off-leash dog areas, a new pavilion, two sand volleyball courts, new water fountains, benches, tables and fencing.

Construction totaled $3.6 million, funded by Wild Spaces & Public Places and a $200,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grant.

The ceremony emcee was the Director of the Wild Spaces & Public Places program, Betsy Waite.

Remarks were provided by:

Assistant Director for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, Leslie Ladendorf; Mayor Harvey Ward; District III Commissioner, Casey Willits; Wild Spaces & Public Places Project Manager, Pete McNiece; and representatives for the Gainesville Regional Soccer League, Martin Costello and John Malanchuk. Also in attendance were City Commissioners Bryan Eastman, Reina Saco and Ed Book and City Manager Cynthia W. Curry.

Click here to view a park map

Gainesville Regional Soccer League

The Wild Spaces & Public Places sales tax will continue to create, improve and maintain parks and recreational facilities and acquire and improve environmentally-sensitive lands. To sign up for updates, please visit our website.

Gainesville City Commission: Harvey Ward (Mayor), Ed Book, Cynthia Chestnut, Desmon Duncan-Walker, Bryan Eastman, Reina Saco, Casey Willits