Raised garden beds with green plants and City of Gainesville “Wild Spaces & Public Places” signs. Transcribed Text: CITY OF GAINESVILLE WILD SPACES & PUBLIC PLACES FUNDED BY YOUR HALF-CENT SALESTAX YOUR TAXES AT WORK

Thelma Boltin Trailhead and Sweetwater Greenway Loop Trail Alignment: Community Workshop #2

Learn more about the project and share your feedback!

Public-information sign announcing a Gainesville community workshop about the Thelma Boltin Trailhead and Sweetwater Greenway Loop Trail Alignment Project.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Wild Spaces & Public Places (WSPP) staff will be hosting the second community workshop for the Thelma Boltin Trailhead and Sweetwater Greenway Loop Trail Alignment project.

When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: Matheson History Museum

513 E. University Ave., Gainesville, FL

WSPP and project consultant NV5, Inc. will provide a brief overview of the project, summarize community input received to date, and present draft conceptual plans developed based on feedback from the first community workshop held in June 2026.

Attendees will have an opportunity to review the draft concepts, ask questions, and provide additional feedback to help inform the design phase of the project.

Following the workshop, the workshop materials and a summary of the feedback received will be posted on the project webpage. Please visit the project webpage by using the link below or typing GainesvilleFL.gov/ThelmaBoltin into your browser.

Visit the project webpage

Aerial map showing a yellow dashed route connecting the Matheson History Museum, Thelma Boltin Site, Sweetwater Greenway Trail, and 10th Avenue. Transcribed Text: 10th Avenue Sweetwater Greenway Trail N Main Street NE Boulevard Thelma Boltin Site E. University Avenue Matheson History Museum

About the Project

The Thelma Boltin Trailhead is an approximately 2.2-acre site composed of two parcels divided by NE Second Avenue in downtown Gainesville. The trailhead project site is the former location of the Thelma Boltin Center and includes a community garden, a dumpster facility serving Bo Diddley Plaza and a paved parking lot.

The Gainesville City Commission has directed staff to redevelop the site with a focus on honoring Thelma Boltin's legacy and the site's connection to World War II history, usable outdoor community space, stormwater improvements and a continuation of the existing community garden. The site will also serve as a trailhead for the Sweetwater Trail Loop System or “Sweetwater Greenway,” which will connect Depot Park, the Matheson History Museum and the 6th Street Rail Trail.

Wild Spaces & Public Places - Your Tax Dollars at Work

The mission of the Wild Spaces & Public Places Department is to enhance the quality of life for the Gainesville community by delivering transformative capital improvements that reflect community priorities and create vibrant, accessible and long-lasting public spaces.

For any questions, please contact Rachel Mandell, director of Wild Spaces & Public Places, at 352-393-8544 or mandellrc@gainesvillefl.gov.

Learn about our projects

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