Fred Cone Park is a 152.48-acre (61.71 ha) urban park in Gainesville, Florida. It is part of the city's Eastside Community Center.
| Fred Cone Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Municipal |
| Location | Gainesville, Florida, United States |
| Area | 152.48-acre (61.71 ha) |
| Created | 2004 |
| Operated by | Gainesville Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs |
| Website | Fred Cone Park |
History
editServing as a recreation and community center in northeast Gainesville, the park is named after Fred P. Cone, who served as the 27th governor of Florida.[1][2][3]
At least as early as 1995, city officials discussed a need to develop the park.[3] Gainesville residents Thomas Hawkins and Davis Rembert started a fundraising effort, garnering over $2 million from private and government funds.[3] A ceremony commemorating the opening of the park and its community center was held in April 2004.[3] Florida's governor at the time, Jeb Bush, attended the ceremony.[3]
In 2008, Alachua County voters approved of the Wild Spaces Public Places half-cent sales tax initiative to fund improvements to the park.[4] Completed in 2012, the building project for these improvements cost $1.4 million, and saw the addition of a track, an interior field for athletics events such as pole vault, shot put, high jump and long jump, two basketball courts, two bathrooms, bleachers, and additional capabilities for soccer play, as well as parking spaces.[4]
Further renovations to the park were completed in 2019, including a resurfacing of the track, the addition of shade sails for the bleachers, and an overhaul of the park's drainage system.[1] These renovations cost around $500,000.[1] Also in 2019, the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) conducted a study at the park's multipurpose field, testing the effectiveness of using organic compost on turfgrass.[5] In 2021, the city began planting trees at three designated areas, including Cone Park, allowing for people to pick fruit.[6]
Facilities and uses
editThe park is home to various features used for sports and recreation, including its eight-lane, 440-meter rubberized track.[7] The track's interior field allows for events such as the pole vault, shot put, high jump, as well as long jump, and features a multi-purpose field.[7] Elsewhere in the park, there are two basketball courts and picnic areas.[7]
In addition to its usage for sports and recreation, the park is also one of the city's three "edible grove" areas, as well as the site for the Cone Park Branch of the Alachua County Library District.[8] The branch opened in November 2011.[3][6]
References
edit- ^ a b c Kimble, Josh (December 20, 2019). "Fred Cone Park reopened after renovations". WCJB. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "Eastside Community Center". City of Gainesville. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Curry, Christopher (March 11, 2012). "Cone Park finally becoming the hub it was long planned to be". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Mallard, Aida (March 7, 2012). "Rubberized track opens at Cone Park". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ Gomez, Lakshmi (April 23, 2019). "Gainesville Partners With UF For Environmental Study At Fred Cone Park". WUFT. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Handler, Liana (April 22, 2024). "Gainesville's edible groves blossom as expansion plans sprout". WUFT. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Fred Cone Park". City of Gainesville. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "Cone Park Branch". Alachua County Library District. Retrieved August 17, 2024.