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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The City of Gainesville has announced its spring schedule of sports programs and events.

Start Smart Sports

Start Smart Sports helps parents of preschoolers 3-5 years old objectively measure their child's abilities. As the programs progress and children show improvement, the skills and exercises are altered so that each child remains challenged while using age appropriate equipment. They will learn concepts and skills including: sport specific skills, preparation for organized sports, building self-esteem and confidence, and social skills.

• Start Smart Baseball(age 3-5, begins March 13)

Lifeguard Certification

Want a rewarding and fun summer job? Get certified as a professional American Red Cross Lifeguard! To prepare future lifeguards, the City of Gainesville is holding lifeguard certification classes this summer for those age 15 and up. There are six sessions (each with four lessons) to choose from, and the first session begins March 16.

Teen Midnight Basketball

Teen Midnight Basketball offers athletic opportunities in a positive environment during nights and weekends when kids might otherwise be unsupervised. This program is held monthly on the first Friday from April through August at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center (1028 NE 14th St.). The theme “Got Skillz” refers to skills on and off the court, such as creativity, adaptability, teamwork and leadership. Besides basketball, kids will compete in athletic contests and get mentorship from Gainesville community partners to inspire their success.

Spring Swim Lessons

Registration for spring swim lessons begins Wednesday, March 1!

Other Upcoming Events . . . Stay Tuned

• March 2: Accessible Tram Tours
• March 3: Live & Local concert series
• March 5: Ranger-led walking tour at Sweetwater
• March 16: Story Time
• March 18: Movie Night at Depot
• March 19: Figure Drawing in the Parks
• April 7: Live & Local concert series

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alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. ‒ The Rotary Club has announced that its 38^th Annual Wild Game Feast will be held Thursday, March 2 at The Conservation Area at Hatch Creek, 4841 NE 118th Drive. The site is approximately 5.5 miles east of the Gainesville Regional Airport entrance and 2 miles east of the intersection of State Road 222/Northeast 39^th Avenue and State Road 26.

The Rotary says that over the past 37 years the Wild Game Feast has become not only the largest annual fundraising event for the Gainesville area Rotary Clubs, but is also a highly anticipated and well attended event for the entire Gainesville area community.  Nearly 1,500 people attended the 2022 Rotary Wild Game Feast. During that time the Rotary Clubs of Gainesville Foundation has raised over $2.25 million for worthy local charitable organizations.  This year’s fundraiser will benefit Pace Center for Girls, Alachua; Child Advocacy Center, Inc.; and Grace Healthcare.

Tickets to the Wild Game Feast are available at https://www.rotarygainesville.org/shop/

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Gainesville, FL — The City of Gainesville was awarded $8 million in funds as part of The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to use for affordable housing.

"We can utilize and leverage those dollars from the federal sources to make sure we provide and build as much affordable housing as possible," Gainesville city commissioner Casey Willits said.

The City of Gainesville's Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) shared its most recent quarterly report with city commissioners at today’s meeting.

According to city leaders, during the past few months, HCD has come up with new ways to get families into places they can afford. One of these initiatives will help build five new single-family homes alongside up to ten new accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on city-owned property. The ADUs, also known as in-law or mother-in-law units, are separate, smaller structures close by or attached to the main house. They provide more options for housing older family members or younger people just entering the workforce, and contribute to housing diversity in the City.

"We can really get a picture, a snapshot of what we're doing and what kind of spaces to ensure that we have affordable housing for as many people as possible. And whether that's multi-family homes, single family homes, whether it's for people to own or to rent, whether it's about new construction or rehabilitation or just improving the general quality of our housing stock," Willits said.

The City is also partnering with Bright Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity to build ten additional homes that will be placed into the Trust and remain permanently affordable. The $1 million in funding comes from The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

An additional $320,000 from ARPA is helping eligible homeowners make safety and energy improvements to their properties, while another $320,000 goes toward providing low-income buyers with down payment assistance. The $7.2 million ARPA funding for the development of new affordable rental units and single-family or multi-family homes remains the biggest single item to report.

Gainesville resident and realtor Rodney Long says today's meeting was a good first start to the affordable housing conversation, but residents shared concerns about opportunities for local contractors to participate in building these affordable housing projects.

"I think the concerns that I and others have at a local, especially builders and realtors, is of the $7.2 million that are going to be put out now for request for funding, availability is a disadvantage for a lot of the smaller builders, contractors who want to build affordable housing because they don't have the upfront dollars," Long said.

Commissioner Reina Saco says the goal is to create safe and affordable housing for everyone.

"Whether you live on your own or just with a partner, that there is a housing option available to you, that what is within your means that is not going to cost burden you, and that is near everything that you need in order to be not just surviving, but thriving in our city," Saco said.

City leaders are planning townhalls later this year to get the public's input on the affordable housing projects.

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alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE, FLA – As police departments across the nation struggle to fill officer vacancies, Gainesville’s Police Department continues to attract some of the best recruits from across the nation.

On Feb. 17, 2023, in front of a capacity filled Hall of Heroes, Chief Lonnie Scott administered the Oath of Office to 12 new officers. “We just don’t want to be in the game, we want to be the best” explained Chief Scott, “That’s why we hire the best. Once you take that Oath of Office, you have officially joined the Gainesville Police Department, and you’re officially a Gainesville hero.”

In addition to friends and family, the officers were welcomed by GPD’s command staff as well as their new colleagues. Also joining the ceremony were Mayor Harvey Ward, City Manager Cynthia Curry, and City Commissioner Reina Saco. The ceremony concluded with the family members pinning the new officers with their Gainesville Police Department badges.

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• Alachua County Farm Bureau LoS 10-17-22 (1).pdf
• Angle Support for Meat Processing Facility.pdf
• CSNCFL Letter of Support - Alachua County Meat Processing Plant (2).pdf
• Final Meat Processing Job-Training Facility SLFRF-Recovery-Plan-Performance-Report 11-17-22.pdf
• LargeAnimalMeatProcessSupportLtr_Nov2022.pdf
• Santa Fe College LoS Sept 2022 (1).pdf
• BA - ARP2021x014.pdf