You may have been wondering lately what has been under construction at City Park in Gainesville…well, we have all the details here.

First things first, don’t worry, the playground is not gone forever. A new and improved playground will replace the old and a new concession stand also is being added to the area between the City Park football field and baseball fields.

There will be a new playground, concessions, a bathroom and a small pavilion,” said Kate Mattison, the new Gainesville Parks and Recreation director. “The difference that I’ve noticed the most is th

at the building is moved forward. The building is bigger, it has a nice alcove that is covered when you are ordering your food from there. This is the playground in the center.”

The concept drawings of the updated park (the original concession building was built in 1972) showcase the playground in the center, still sporting the usual red and green colors.

One thing Mattison wants to add to the updates at City Park is outdoor fitness equipment.

“So, if a mom comes with her two children, you will have a perfect line of sight to them

 on the playground, and you could be over here doing circuit training,” she says.

Kate said there are currently two capital projects in the works right now for Parks and Recreation: City Park and the new skate park.

The skate park, set to be on the corner of Grove and Pine, is something Gainesville locals have been rallying for and wanting for many years now. The park is scheduled to be completed by early winter and is now being designed by nationally renowned skate park designer Wally Hollyday.

As for other parks, Mattison says “We’re updating our master plan. We had a master plan through 2020 and now we are updating for 2030.”