August 14, 2016
After months of planning, anticipation and construction, Depot Park is finally about to open. The grand opening will be on August 20th with the playground and nature preserve officially open for business.
The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention is still under construction. However, now that the park is complete, Gainesville residents can start taking advantage of the $6 million investment that hopes to become not only a popular green space in the city but also a place that offers lessons on history and innovation.
The playground offers a tour through Gainesville's cultural landscape, including both industrial and natural features. As the park was named for the now renovated train depot, old railroads have become part of a train-shaped jungle gym, featuring knobs to turn, slides to go down, and a bell to ring. There is also a tower to climb on that resembles a smokestack, which also includes tunnels made of faux pipes representing the industrial side of Gainesville.
There are also custom splash pads featuring water cannons and a small waterfall infused with fossils from the Florida Museum of Natural History.
There are plenty of spaces for sensory play, as well as some playground staples, like swings. There are tunnels and a sunshade, but given the sheer size of the playground, plenty of space is open to the sun. You can check out Depot Park from dawn till dusk, located at South Main Street And Depot Avenue.
For more info on the park and it's opening, read the full article at Gainesville.com.
