Students looking for a place to jog can head down University Avenue to a new track at Fred Cone Park.
The highlight of the new facility is its eight-lane, competition-quality, 440-meter track and interior field, which includes space for field events such as pole vault, shot put, high jump and long jump.
The facility includes bleachers for viewing the track and field, as well as parking.
The official celebration of the facility is at 10 a.m. Thursday at the park, 2841 E University Ave. The park and its new track have been open for about a month.
“We have a lot more parking than the UF track has,” said Thomas Hawkins, Gainesville city commissioner. “Every UF student is welcome to use our public parks.”
Gainesville high schools will be able to use the public facility for sports practice.
The project was funded through the Wild Spaces Public Places half-cent sales tax, which was approved by voters in 2008, Hawkins said.
According to a news release, the original contract for the facility was for about $1.5 million.
The facility offers a variety of activities to park visitors.
“It’s really a top-notch facility for sprinting, running and all kinds of exercise,” Hawkins said. “It’s fantastic to have in east Gainesville. It is really exciting to see it.”
The track is a major asset to the park, but it is one aspect of the overall vision for the park, said Scherwin Henry, Gainesville city commissioner.
The park is home to a library, basketball courts and refurbished baseball and softball fields.
“Eventually, we would like a kids’ splash pad added there as well,” Henry said.
Fred Cone, a former mayor and commissioner who served in the 1940s, donated the land for Fred Cone Park, said Michelle Park, assistant director of Gainesville parks, recreation and cultural affairs.
A new track at Fred Cone Park, located at 2841 E University Ave., gives students a free place to run.
