
The Gainesville City Commission approved multiple agreements with Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) on Thursday, allowing the construction of more multi-use trails in the city, and heard an update on future Wild Spaces Public Places projects.
On Wednesday, the GRU Authority signed off on the agreements, and city staff can now move forward with bids for the construction. The trails will include portions on utility rights-of-way and under transmission lines, requiring a special agreement since the utility is now under GRU Authority management.
In October, the City Commission sent a letter asking GRU to prioritize the trail projects and agreements.
Two of the trails will link Depot Park with Sweetwater Wetlands Park, via Sweetwater Wetlands Preserve. The other trail will run along NE 31st Avenue from NE 15th Street to Waldo Road, running past Unity Park.
In an October interview, Gainesville Senior Planner Scott Wright said the city planned eight miles of multi-use trails in the 2017 iteration of Wild Spaces Public Places (WSPP). He said around one mile has been finished, with these three trails adding another three miles once completed
He anticipates the new link from Depot Park to Sweetwater Wetlands Park will pull a lot of traffic.
“I think that’s going to be a mostly recreational trail,” Wright said. “And it’s going to probably rival the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail in terms of usage.”
The Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail gets over 1,000 recreational users on weekends.
Betsy Waite, Gainesville’s director of WSPP, updated the City Commission on the program.
Currently, the city has nine projects under construction, including slide repairs at the Dwight H. Hunter Pool slide, restroom renovation at Abby Wambach Park, track improvements at Kiwanis Challenge Park and a new parking lot, trail and playground at Duval Nature Park.
WSPP also has 21 other projects in planning, design, permitting or procurement.
Waite said the team has a list of projects it anticipates starting from 2025 to 2027. The list includes the following:
- Depot Park – Visitors Center
- Thomas Center “A” Renovations – Elevator renovation and building rehabilitation as outlined in the envelope study
- T.B. McPherson Recreation Center Renovation – Wholesale Capital Improvements
- Albert “Ray” Massey Recreation Center Renovation – Wholesale Capital Improvements
- City Pool Improvements – Replace pool pumps and other upgrades as infrastructure reaches the end of its useful life.
- Bo Diddley Community Plaza – Eastside hardscape and artificial turf
- Evergreen Cemetery – Visitors Center
- Woodland Park Improvements – New court lighting, hardscape, adult fitness equipment, etc.
- Cofrin Nature Park – Nature Center
- Smokey Bear Park Improvements – Master Planning
WSPP funding coming through a voter-approved surtax first started in 2016. In 2022, voters authorized the extension of the surtax through 2032 along with an increase to a full cent surtax.
Always love to see trail developments in the city, gotta love the WSPP
Yep!