PRCA News

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, in cooperation with Shakerag Culture Center, Inc., is pleased to announce the upcoming Jewel Box Concert at the Historic Thomas Center is Sunday, April 19, featuring the neo–folk, world rock ensemble HuDost. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door - cash or check only.

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!

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, in cooperation with Shakerag Culture Center, Inc., is pleased to announce the next Jewel Box Concert at the Historic Thomas Center is Friday, April 3, featuring Caravan of Thieves. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door - cash or check only.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is proud to announce that Cheer Coach Beverly Perry was awarded the Female Coach of the Year by the Pop Warner Southeastern Region at the Southeast Region Meeting held in Orlando, Fla. Saturday, March 14. Receiving this award is a great honor and privilege not only for Ms. Perry, but also for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the Putnam Athletic League. Coach Perry has been coaching the Gainesville Gators (Putnam League) for approximately 26 years.

See what’s in bloom with colorful native plants for your landscape and garden! They are adapted to variable weather conditions and they are easy to maintain. Take advantage of the largest offering of native plants in north Florida during the 2015 Spring Native Plant Sale at Morningside Nature Center Saturday, April 4, open to the general public from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An exclusive member’s sale is Friday, April 3, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and is open to members of the Friends of Nature Parks and the Florida Native Plant Society only. Memberships are available at the gate. Cash, checks and credit/debit cards accepted at the sale.

The Thomas Center Galleries announces the opening of the TIGHTROPE - Betwixt the Magical & the Macabre art exhibition to be presented in the Historic Thomas Center’s Main Gallery from Friday, March 27 to Saturday, May 30. An opening reception for the exhibition will take place Thursday, March 26 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The public is invited to meet many of the artists at the opening reception, and to enjoy a magic and mind-reading performance by Amaral, The Magic Man, at 7 p.m.

Cofrin Nature Park, which is located at 4810 NW Eighth Ave., is closing beginning Monday, April 6, for major structural repairs to stabilize the shoreline of Beville Creek, a stream that bisects the park. It is anticipated that the park will reopen in August 2015.

It’s official!  The hardwood removal at Boulware Springs Nature Park is now complete!  The park and Gainesville-Hawthorne trail are accessible to the public. The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department thanks the public for its patience during the closure. If you would like to read more about the sandhill restoration project, you can download a project history here.

Bo Diddley Community Plaza has closed for renovations on Sunday, March 1. The improvements, which include new public restrooms, an information kiosk, a water wall entry feature, green room and a second café space, will take about one-year to complete. The entire plaza will be closed during construction except for the historic Bethel Station property on the south end, which will reopen under new restaurant ownership in late spring.

Morningside Nature Center, 3540 East University Avenue, will be open Friday, March 6th, get out and ENJOY!