Newsroom

You're invited to participate in the second neighborhood workshop to discuss future park improvements at the Lincoln Yard site, located between Southeast Eighth Avenue and Southeast 15th Avenue, east of Southeast 20th Street. Interested members of the public are invited to attend the Community Workshop Thursday, Dec. 13, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Gainesville Vineyard Church, 1100 SE 17th Drive (formerly the Southeast Boys & Girls Club). Learn about the project and site and let us know what improvements you would like to see at this location. Conceptual designs will be on display for the public to view and discuss. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Wild Spaces & Public Places Department wants your input on a future nature center at Hogtown Creek Headwaters Nature Park. Interested residents may complete an online one question survey by selecting from a list of four options by the Dec. 17 deadline. The survey is located at http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07efv8phh8jopxhsxt/start

The 70-acre park property located at 1500 NW 45th Ave. was acquired by the city in 2007 with funding assistance from Florida Communities Trust. Funding conditions of the grant require that recreational amenities be constructed, as well as a staffed nature center where year-round educational classes and programs are held. A new playground with outdoor musical instruments and a fitness trail opened to the public in fall 2018.
 
The 1910 Hartman family house still remains on the Hogtown Creek Headwaters Nature Park property. The cost to renovate the structure into a nature center is estimated to be $400,000 due to the structure's advanced state of deterioration. Because of the high renovation cost, Wild Spaces & Public Places is asking you to weigh in on four options being considered.
 
Your feedback will be brought to the city commission for review in early 2019, and project updates will be provided at http://www.cityofgainesville.org/WildSpacesandPublicPlaces/CurrentProjects.

Municipal Minutes is an electronic newsletter for the community. The monthly e-newsletter provides information about upcoming activities, projects and events in the City of Gainesville. For more information about this e-newsletter, please contact the Communications Office at 334-5017.

The Housing & Community Development Division (HCD) is hosting a public meeting Tuesday, Sept. 25 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Eastside Recreation Center (2841 E. University Ave.) to solicit input on the 2018-2022 Five Year Consolidated Plan and 2018-2019 Annual Action Plan. The Consolidated Plan is a five-year plan that states how the City of Gainesville will spend Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds will be allocated. The Housing and Community Development Division will host three public workshops to ask residents how they would like to see the CDBG and HOME money spent to improve eligible neighborhoods and provide critical community services to eligible residents.

The City of Gainesville is launching a mobile-friendly, web-based platform called serveGNV to connect local nonprofits and other agencies in the area to local volunteers. The service launched in August, and registration is free.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the Nature Centers Commission citizen advisory board are seeking nominations for the annual Star Awards. Nominations are accepted in the categories of Star Volunteer, Star Good Neighbor and Star Green Business.

Families in the Porters neighborhood will once again say goodbye to summer and hello to the new school year with a Back-to-School Summer Block Party on Saturday, Aug. 11.

Mayor Lauren Poe announced "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City" by Matthew Desmond as the next selection for the Mayor’s Book Club. The public is invited to read and participate in discussion about the themes raised in the book. The only rule is that people enter the discussion with an open mind, and discuss the book with civility and positivity.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is pleased to announce a recreation opportunity for a Gainesville family to enjoy a year’s worth of events, programs, tours and more - at no cost! Now in its fourth year, the Michelle Park Family Recreation Scholarship provides a low- to moderate-income family from Gainesville the opportunity to participate in nature, recreation and cultural activities which are offered by PRCA and other providers in the community, such as the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Arts and the Florida Museum of Natural History. This scholarship was made possible through the generous gift of an anonymous donor.

The award consists of one scholarship valued at $1,500, including a $250 gas gift card, that can be used to enjoy activities such as:

1. After-school activities and day camps for school breaks and teacher holidays, for children age six–12
2. Access to the Wellness Center at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Multipurpose Center
3. Tickets to cultural events, such as the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire
4. An annual pass to Sweetwater Wetlands Park
5. Adult and youth recreation and sports activities such as golf lessons, swimming lessons and tennis lessons; free registration to participate in city-sponsored youth baseball, basketball, flag football, Pop Warner football or cheerleading

Criteria:

1. Family must be live within City of Gainesville city limits;
2. Family must meet the criteria of the Alachua County School Board Free or Reduced Lunch Program and
3. Family must be able to complete 20 volunteer hours during the award year or the following year.

Application packets are available at the Albert “Ray” Massey Westside Recreation Center, Clarence R. Kelly Community Center, Eastside Community Center, MLK Multipurpose Center, T. B. McPherson Center, Porters Community Center and the PRCA Administrative Office, which is located on the third floor of the Thomas Center, Building B. The packets are also available online at http://tinyurl.com/gnvScholarships.

The deadline for scholarship applications is Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. Final scholarship award selection will be made by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (PRCA) Department’s evaluation team. Applications may be dropped off in person at the Administrative Office, Thomas Center, Building B, Third Floor, Reception Desk, 306 NE Sixth Ave., Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Please email Jennifer Harrington, program assistant, at HarringtoJL@cityofgainesville.org or mail the application to:
City of Gainesville
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department
PO Box 490, Station 24
Gainesville, FL 32627-0490

The City of Gainesville is holding a community forum for the finalists for the Equal Opportunity (EO) Director finalists Saturday, June 30 beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the GRU Multipurpose Room, which is located at 301 SE Fourth Ave. in downtown Gainesville.