Lifeguards representing the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) competed in the statewide Annual Lifeguard Challenge presented by the Florida Aquatics Council, in conjunction with the American Red Cross. The competition was held Sunday, Sept. 13 at the Oviedo Aquatics Complex in Oviedo, Florida, and lifeguard teams from aquatic facilities all over Florida attended the competition to compete for the title of best lifeguards in the state!

There was a fecal incident at H. Spurgeon Cherry (Westside) Pool on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015.  Following Centers for Disease Control requirements, the pool will be super-chlorinated and remain closed until 6 a.m. the on Thursday, Sept. 17. Because of the contamination, staff will not be able to change the lap lanes to long course for the morning swim, so the lanes will remain short course for the morning lap swim session. We apologize for any inconvenience. Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast) and Andrew R. Mickle Sr. Pools will be open for regular hours.

UPDATE 8/4/2015: H. Spurgeon Cherry (Westside) Pool is now open! Thank you for your patience!

We suspect a possible recent lightning strike may have caused some damage. Search #GNVPools for updates. Update: The slide at Westside Pool will remain closed for the remainder of the week as we repair the pump, due to a suspected lightning strike nearby on Sunday, July 5, 2015, afternoon. We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to have the slide back in operation as quickly as possible.

A splash in the pool during the warm summer months is a welcome relief for many Gainesville residents. All three municipal pools have been experiencing high attendance and aquatics staff of the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) would like to offer a few helpful tips to make pool time a safe and fun experience for all.

The Sunshine State Games Swimming Championships will be held June 5-7, 2015, in Gainesville.  The meet is hosted by the Makos Aquatics of Gainesville, in partnership with the Gainesville Sports Commission. The pool deck will be open for spectators. For more information on the Sunshine State Games, please visit their website.

On Thursday, June 18, at 10 a.m., thousands of children and adults will unite at aquatics facilities around the globe to set a new global record for the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL). The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is joining Team WLSL to once again break a world record and send the message that swimming lessons save lives. The global record attempt will take place at three Gainesville locations: Andrew R. Mickle Pool, Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast) Pool and H. Spurgeon Cherry (Westside) Pool. The event is free to all participants! After the swim lesson stay and relax at the pool. Go down the slide, jump off the diving boards or just hangout with your children by the pool.

The women’s locker room at Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast) Pool, located at 1100 NE 14th Street, will be closed from Monday, April 27, through Wednesday, April 29, for improvements to the showers. Female patrons will have access to the bathrooms and showers at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center, located next door to the pool. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is excited to announce the 2015 Gainesville Biathlon Challenge race schedule. If you want to test your athletic ability or set a new goal, this annual series of races are a fun and affordable choice!

Over the days of February 18-20, cold and freezing weather can affect park and facility operations. Please be advised when visiting a park or Dwight H. Hunter Pool (Northeast) pool.