Gainesville celebrates renovations to Duval Nature Park
Published on June 20, 2025
City leaders and area neighbors gathered at Duval Nature Park in East Gainesville during a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 20, 2025 to mark the completion of renovations that began in early March.
Created around the sight of a stormwater management facility in 2010, Duval Nature Park features several new improvements while maintaining its original environmental purpose to keep local neighborhoods safe from flooding.
Improvements to the municipal park include:
- An ADA walking trail around the existing stormwater pond at the eastern end of the park
- A new playground A new pedestrian entrance on the north side of the park
- A new grill and water fountain near the park pavilion
- New signage throughout the municipal park
- Stormwater improvements at the northwest corner of the park
- A small asphalt parking area, including bicycle parking, at the main entrance
- Native landscaping
Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman, whose quest is to ride his bike on every single street in the city, discovered the municipal park during one of his many excursions.
“You find these cool, little hidden gems in the community,” he said. “It’s absolutely stunning… The new playground, and having an ADA-accessible park and other upgrades, does more than just make a pretty park, it really changes the fabric of the community surrounding it.”
Neighbor Ryan Undeen and his family have enjoyed the nature park since 2018.
“We walk the dog and just love coming to the park every day, especially when the weather is cooler,” he said.
Funded by the Wild Spaces & Public Places (WSPP) surtax, the cost of the project totaled more than $320,000.
“This is your money being put back into the community, into your neighborhoods to create better parks,” Commissioner Eastman said.
The city’s commitment to building a great place to live and experience is a keystone of its strategic plan.
“The renovations to the park reflect the project’s many moving parts – from the neighbors who shared their vision, to the engineers and contractors and the city staff who brought that vision to life – each person involved was essential to making that vision a reality,” said WSPP Project Manager Rachel Mandell.