Newsroom

Memorial Day weekend is the start of summer, and all three city pools will be open for the public to make a splash. May is also National Water Safety Month, and the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Department’s (PRCA) aquatics staff would like to offer a few helpful tips to make pool time a safe and fun experience for all. Please consider the following when planning and during your visit to a public pool:

In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, city offices will be closed Monday, May 28.

A celebration of African-American Music Appreciation Month occurs every Friday night in June at the Bo Diddley Plaza as part of the “Free Fridays” concert series. Inspired by the dream of late local musicians Richard Baxter and Roland Burns, African-American Music Appreciation Month has been celebrated in Gainesville since 1998.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is pleased to announce the 2018 Aquatic Leadership Camp registration is open. This exciting week-long summer camp is offered for youth 11-14 years old, with six sessions available at H. Spurgeon Cherry (Westside) Pool, starting June 11.

The City of Gainesville wants your feedback on future park improvements at the Northeast 31st Avenue Park, which is located at 1700 NE 31st Ave. Interested residents are invited to complete an online survey (http://tinyurl.com/NE31stAvePark) to let us know what improvements you would like to see at this neighborhood park. The survey is available Monday, May 21 through Monday, June 4, 2018.

The Galleries at the Historic Thomas Center announce the opening of The View from Paradise – The Paintings of Alyne Harrisat the Historic Thomas Center in The Doris Bardon Gallery Friday, May 25. An opening reception to honor the artist will take place from 7-10 p.m. during Artwalk Gainesville.

With the summer heating up, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) has cool, free teen programs to keep the fun going all season long - Summer Heatwave is back with Coed Basketball and Pool Parties!

Since 2008, Summer Heatwave has been a partnership between PRCA, the Gainesville Police Department (GPD),  the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney’s Office 8th Judicial Court Circuit, and has helped thousands of local youth have a safe and enjoyable summer experience.

Coed Basketball: The Coed Basketball program starts Monday, June 4, and is available for kids age nine–18 (18, if still in school). Coed Basketball is open to all players, regardless of skill. Participants learn valuable skills for on and off the court. Coaches conduct a 15-minute lesson prior to every game using the Pursuing Victory with Honor curriculum from Character Counts. All athletes participating in Heatwave must attend, or they will not be allowed to participate in the games. Due to program growth, games will be held at the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Multipurpose Center, Eastside High School and Lincoln Middle School, after 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Each age group has a single-elimination tournament during the last week of play. The league champions play against a team from GPD and other City of Gainesville staff Friday, Aug. 2.

Heatwave Pool Parties: This summer’s activities kick off Friday, June 1 with a pool party to celebrate the last day of school at Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast)  Pool, located at 1100 NE 14th St. At Heatwave Pool Parties, youth can swim, dance, listen to music and enjoy some food hot off the grill. Participants must sign in at the front entrance to the pool to receive a wristband. The dates, times and locations for Heatwave Pool Parties are:

Register for Summer Heatwave in person at the MLK Center or the PRCA Administrative Office. The office is on the third floor of the Thomas Center, building B, which is located at 306 NE Sixth Ave., and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Participants are required to present proof of age at time of registration. Accepted forms are a birth certificate, a State of Florida identification card or a 2017-2018 school year identification card.

The Gainesville Big Band kicks off the Memorial Day weekend at “Free Fridays” on Friday, May 25.

The City of Gainesville celebrates National Bike Month with a Bike Ride with the Mayor and Commissioners Saturday, May 26 beginning at 9 a.m. The public is invited to join Mayor Lauren Poe, City Commissioners and other local leaders to highlight the benefits of cycling and the coordinated efforts of the city, county, university and local developers to create a continuous urban trail system.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) wants to keep athletes and beginners motivated with the second race of the 2018 Gainesville Dash & Splash Race Series! The distances are a little longer, with a different race surface than the first. This is a perfect opportunity to challenge your fitness goals!