Parks Division

Creating and maintaining a beautiful landscape in Gainesville's parks, trees, medians, and municipal buildings is the responsibility of the Parks Division, a division of 40 hard-working, dedicated employees. The offices are located in the Public Works Compound at 405 NW 39th Ave, Bldg F. Office hours are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Staff is on-call around the clock to deal with emergencies on park property or when trees fall unexpectedly into the street.

The quality of recreational experiences in Gainesville is enhanced by grounds that reflect care in maintaining the trees and landscaping. There are 25 City parks, five of which have recreation centers. Eight tot-lots with modern play facilities provide residents with opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities close to home. Organized activities take place on the various diverse athletic fields located throughout the city. In addition, the city also provides for play 14 racquetball courts, 24 tennis courts, and 35 basketball courts which are maintained by the Parks Division.

Parks Division staff also maintains the archery range, landscaping for 22 municipal buildings, 12 parking lots, the Downtown Plaza, and over 9 miles of bike paths along Archer Road, Depot Avenue, Waldo Road, and the Gainesville-Hawthorne Rail-Trail outside Paynes Prairie State Preserve.

Evergreen Cemetery at 401 SE 21st Avenue is also a responsibility of the Parks Division. We strive to maintain the gracious elegance of the historic grounds. Spaces are available for purchase. For information of the cemetery services provided please follow the link below or call 334-2171.

Gainesville residents love trees, and the Parks Division oversees all aspects of the urban forest: pruning for large truck clearance, structural pruning for tree strength, removal of hazardous or dead trees, tree planting, and oversight of trees on development sites during the planning, building, and final landscaping phases of any project. The Tree-mendous Gainesville program establishes 1000 trees/year in parks and along street edges.

Maintaining beautiful and safe parks is a partnership. The Parks Division has brought in more than one-half million dollars in recent years in the form of landscaping and tree-planting grants for the aesthetic enhancement of the community. YOU are part of the safety component. If you notice a hazard in any park or you notice a dead tree, broken branch, or low canopy, please advise the Parks Division (334-2171). We have on-going safety assessments, but the awareness of people traveling the streets or using the parks is essential in spotting problems and advising when City staff should respond to dangers.

Download the Parks Matrix (13KB )

For more information on parks division please contact us:
Mailing Address: City of Gainesville Parks Division Station 27 P.O. Box 490 Gainesville, Florida 32602		Phone: (352) 334-2171 E-mail:parks@cityofgainesville.org
02. Pamela Ganley Cemetery Coordinator ganleypm@cityofgainesville.org (352) 393-8535 03. Ed Sams Mowing Supervisor samsce@cityofgainesville.org (352) 334-2171 04. Meg Niederhofer City Arborist niederhoma@cityofgainesville.org (352)334-2171 05. Earline Luhrman Urban Forestry Inspector luhrmanek@cityofgainesville.org (352) 334-2171 06. John Weber Grounds Supervisor weberjf@cityofgainesville.org (352) 393-8756 08. Ella Bernhardt-Books Staff Assistant II brooksel@cityofgainesville.org 352-334-2171