Cultural Affairs Projects—An update on the latest
Wild Spaces & Public Places improvements
Wild Spaces & Public Places and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs are pleased to provide an update on improvements made to the City of Gainesville’s public spaces supporting cultural affairs. These efforts are the latest towards fulfilling the City Commission’s goal of having a world-class park system in our city.
 
We are taking an abundance of care during the pandemic—following all CDC guidelines while projects are under construction. The projects in this update include a few of the many treasured cultural spaces within our city. We are excited to reveal these improvements and look forward to once again being able to enjoy these spaces with our neighbors.

Completed Projects
Bo Diddley Community Plaza
111 East University Ave .
A new bike repair station and air pump were installed on the east side of the plaza by the Alachua County Civil Courthouse building in April. Additional bike racks accommodating up to 32 bikes were also installed throughout the plaza. The work was completed by City Park Operations staff in collaboration with the City’s Public Works Department operations personnel. The approximate cost for the improvements was $6,600. Click here to view photos of the improvements.
 
Wilhelmina Johnson Resource Center / Sharmie Ffar Park
321 NW 10th St.
Improvements include the construction of a 16’x 28’ pavilion with four tables and a recycling bin at Sharmie Ffar Park. ADA access to the new pavilion was created by connecting the new slab to the existing concrete walkway. The approximate project cost was $43,842. Click here to view photos of the new pavilion.
Work in Progress
A. Quinn Jones Museum
1013 NW 7th Ave.
Improvements include the addition of a brick paved courtyard at the rear of the building with new seating, a storage shed, bike racks, landscaping and site lighting. Improvements also include creating a stormwater management system under the newly paved parking lot. Work began in March but was halted during the pandemic. The contractor has restarted and expects to complete the project in October. The approximate project cost is $297,343.
 
The Hippodrome Theatre
25 SE 2nd Place
Renovations to the first and second floor lobby areas began in June. Improvements include new paint, flooring, doors and door frame, wood trim and countertops, new lighting and fixtures and restoration and relocation of existing historic light fixtures. Anticipated completion is in late August. The approximate project cost is $196,562. 

For questions, please contact Betsy Waite, Director of Wild Spaces & Public Places, at 352-393-8187 or email   WildSpacesPublicPlaces@cityofgainesville.org .

The Wild Spaces & Public Places sales tax will continue to create, improve and maintain parks and recreational facilities and acquire and improve environmentally-sensitive lands. To sign up for updates, please visit www.WildSpacesPublicPlacesGNV.org .

Gainesville City Commission: Lauren Poe (Mayor), Reina Saco, Gail Johnson, Gigi Simmons, Harvey Ward, David Arreola, Adrian Hayes-Santos