The Gainesville Commission voted Thursday against expanding the parking lot in Tom Petty Park, opting instead to consider partnerships with other organizations and businesses.
Tom Petty Park Expansion
In the morning session, the Commission discussed expanding the parking lot in Tom Petty Park in northeast Gainesville. This suggestion, from City of Gainesville’s Wild Spaces & Public Places department, follows ongoing renovation of the 22-acre plot.
The city is already expanding the parking lot from 81 spaces to just over 100 as part of its larger renovation project. Other additions, including eight new pickleball courts, new seating areas, trail extensions and improvements to lighting, could draw in more visitors to the park, officials said.
The park expects to draw over 100 visitors at a time during peak afternoons and weekend hours. Wild Spaces Director Betsy Waite said limited spots could lead to unsafe parking practices and suggested the city further expand the lot.
But some Gainesville residents found the additional parking spaces unnecessary.
“At this time, there’s ample parking day and night all over the neighborhood,” Gainesville resident Mike Ryan Simonovich said. “This is a solution hunting for a problem that does not exist.”
In the end, the City Commission decided not to go forward with the parking lot expansion. Instead, members urged the park to explore partnership opportunities within the neighborhood to expand its parking options.
City Hall Plaza Renovations
The City Commission also approved about $1.8 million for a plan to renovate City Hall Plaza and make it available for public gatherings.
Wild Spaces & Public Places originally proposed a plan to demolish plaza ponds and add more greenery in April 2024, which the City Commission approved. The new motion is a continuation of the original plan, with additional design opportunities.
The plan will replace the ponds that are located in the center of the City Hall Plaza with pavement, which will open a large space in the front. The stairwell currently connected to the hall would be transformed into a stage. About 1,600 to 2,400 people could fit within the updated plaza.
“I will have tremendous nostalgia for the ponds, that was absolutely a part of my childhood,” Mayor Harvey Ward said. “And I’ll always say, well, the ponds haven’t ever worked right? So, let’s live with that and create a City Hall Plaza.”
Phil Mann, special project manager for the city manager, said the plan is to start the project by Nov. 1 and complete it by April 2026. The top priority: Complete the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Garden by Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a goal the city has made clear to the contractor.
During the renovation process, Mann ensured there will be no conflicts for staff and citizens with access to City Hall or Old Library Building.
Commissioner James Ingle proposed incorporating the removed rainbow crosswalk bricks into the design.
“We have recently come into possession of quite a few rainbow colored bricks, and I don't know if it would be appropriate or possible to integrate that into this upcoming design,” Ingle said.
Ingle recommended using the bricks in a historical way, saying he would like to see the rainbow crosswalk story be a part of the City Hall Plaza.
But the bricks, which are old and cracked, might be a walking hazard, special adviser to the city manager Brian Singleton said.
The decision on whether to use them is still pending.
Contact Grace Larson at glarson@alligator.org. Follow her on X @graceellarson
Contact Teia Williams at twilliams@alligator.org. Follow her on X @teia_williams
Teia is a general assignment reporter for Metro. She is also a second semester journalism transfer student from Daytona State College and served as Editor-in-Chief for In Motion, DSC's student newspaper. When she's not writing, Teia can be found reading, going to concerts, at the beach and talking about her favorite artists.
Grace is a first year journalism student, serving as city/county commission reporter for the Fall 2025 semester. While she has not previously been on staff, her early journalism experience can be attributed to Devil's Advocate, her high school newspaper. When she is not writing, Grace enjoys staying active by running, weight lifting, hiking and doing yoga. Her other pastimes include thrifting and working on random art projects.
