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The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is co-sponsoring a ceremony, in conjunction with the Gainesville University City Lions Club and the Gainesville Arts & Parks Foundation, Inc. (GAP), to honor lifetime Lions Club members and the contributions they have made over the years. The ceremony takes place Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 p.m. at Roper Park, located at 401 NE Second St. At the event, a tribute bench will be dedicated to honor past and current members of the Gainesville University City Lions Club since 1961.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is happy to announce the installation of permanent shade sail structures in Depot Park’s children’s play area in November. The shade sails will provide relief from the sun where it is needed most. Although a portion of the play area will be closed during construction, the remainder of the park and the splash pad will remain open for enjoyment.

Pursuant to the City’s Equal Opportunity Policy (EO-8), City Auditor Carlos L. Holt and City Equal Opportunity Director Torey Alston have submitted written reports of fact-finding and review of the complaints filed by Evelyn Foxx of the NAACP Alachua County Branch and Cheryl McBride regarding City Manager Anthony Lyons. The reports were received by the City Commission Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017.

The University of Florida’s World Music Ensembles present a “Free Fridays” concert at the Bo Diddley Plaza Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m.  The event features student and faculty musicians and dancers from UF’s College of the Arts. The lively evening of music and dance also features a guest appearance by internationally-renowned Brazilian percussionist Renato Martins.

Albert “Ray” Massey (Westside) Park (1001 NW 34th St.) is going to the dogs for a whole weekend of family fun! The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) has partnered with University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine (UFCVM) and Climb for Cancer Foundation to bring three dog-centered events together for Saturday, Oct. 21 and Sunday, Oct. 22.

The City of Gainesville has been awarded a Small Matching Category grant from the Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources for fiscal year 2017-2018 in the amount of $40,600. The grant will be used to support a comprehensive survey of mid-century neighborhoods and buildings and to update the city’s existing Historic Preservation Rehabilitation & Design Guidelines. The project will be a collaborative effort between the City of Gainesville Department of Doing, Planning Division, the University of Florida’s Historic Preservation Program and local non-profit organization Gainesville Modern.

Gainesville’s original surveys of historical and cultural resources were undertaken in 1980 and the early 1990s and focused on late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century architecture, typical of historic districts such as the Duckpond and Pleasant Street. This survey will focus on buildings constructed from 1930 through 1970, as these were not assessed previously given that they were not yet 50 years old. Gainesville’s dramatic growth following the Second World War was accompanied by a transformation of the city’s architecture, as mid-century modern design began to appear in suburban homes, commercial properties and motels, among other vernacular building types. Because mid-century architecture represents such a large departure from architecture that came before it, the survey will increase knowledge and awareness of Gainesville’s Modern architecture, and provide a basis for updating historic resources inventories and the city’s Design Guidelines.

The survey teams will include professional preservationists and historians, students and professors from the University of Florida, and community members interested in the architectural and cultural history of their neighborhood and city. The teams will visit and photograph properties selected for the survey and will record basic information such as building type, style, date of construction, architect and/or builder, if known. Once the survey is finalized, the properties will be evaluated and prioritized for significance.

A kickoff meeting to learn more about previous surveys, potential neighborhoods for the new survey and volunteer opportunities will be held on Wednesday, October 18 at the Matheson Museum (513 East University Avenue) at 6 p.m. 

For more information on the survey and meeting, contact Cleary Larkin, City of Gainesville planner at survey@cityofgainesville.org.

The Solid Waste Division and Waste Corporation of America (WCA), the city’s contracted waste pick-up supplier, are diligently working to pick up yard and tree debris from residential neighborhoods.

GramFest, the annual concert tribute to the life and music of country rocker Gram Parsons, joins the “Free Fridays” concert lineup Friday, Oct. 13 from 8-10 p.m. at the Bo Diddley Plaza. Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist, and is considered to be the father of the country-rock music genre. He was a member of The International Submarine Band, The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers. Parsons is also known for teaming up with country star Emmylou Harris on recordings and duets, as well as performing as a solo artist. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him no. 87 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. During his short life, Parsons was considered a cult figure whose songwriting and musical style influenced many groups of his era including such notables as The Rolling Stones. According to longtime GramFest organizer Mick Marino, “Gram was the first artist to blend real country music with rock and roll and rhythm and blues. He was a real innovator.” Parsons died in 1973 of a drug overdose at the age of 26.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Gainesville Pickleball. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports across the country, and PRCA is happy to offer a free, drop-in league at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center.

The Solid Waste Division and Waste Corporation of America (WCA), the city’s contracted waste pick-up supplier, are diligently working to pick up yard and tree debris from residential neighborhoods.