On the northeast side of Gainesville city, there is a newly renovated recreation area open to the public called the Howard W. Bishop Recreation Area. This renovation took over $250,000 in funding to complete and was a joint effort by Alachua county and Alachua county schools.
Howard W. Bishop is the shared name given to the middle school adjoined to the rec area, named after the former superintendent of Alachua County Schools who served from 1941 to 1952.
While there has been a track and large grassy field in this area for years that the local public already uses, the new features are going to be a nice addition for the public. These include two brand new basketball courts, four tennis courts, new asphalt and lines painted on the quarter-mile racetrack, fresh grass on the field, two brand new soccer goals, and the brush has been cleared with new fencing installed around the perimeter.
Here are a few photos I snapped of the rec area:
Definitely check out the Howard Bishop Recreation Area if you’re looking for a neighborhood-friendly place to get some exercise or play a game with your kids. Many families use this area and it has good lighting around the field and racetrack area so you can exercise safely until dusk.
Parking is just across the street, about 100 feet, in the elementary school visitor lot. This recreation area does not have any water fountains or bathroom facilities, and accessing the area is not ADA compliant - so hopefully they add a compliant access route soon (and I may write the county myself to ask why ADA compliance was not included!).
Rec Area signage indicates that the school has first priority during school hours, but is otherwise open to the public from dusk to dawn. The full street address is 1901 NE 9th Street (Gainesville).
