Gainesville Opens Eight Pickleball Courts at Tom Petty Park in $2.6M Renovation

The City of Gainesville announced Feb. 24, 2026 that eight newly completed pickleball courts at Tom Petty Park, 501 NE 16th Ave., are now open to the public as part of a $2.6 million renovation. The project added LED lighting and new seating and reopened tennis courts with a new shade canopy, expanding evening play options and spectator areas at the more than 20-acre site.

Renovation work delivered multiple infrastructure upgrades in the first phase, including eight dedicated pickleball courts, re-routed multipurpose trail to increase ADA accessibility, a new stormwater pond, enhanced parking-lot lighting, and a pedestrian entrance tied to the NE 16th Ave crosswalk. Project notes also list additional shade structures, trail extensions and planned trail lighting to improve pedestrian connections between the north and south ends of the park.

Funding for the work comes from the voter-approved Wild Spaces & Public Places half-cent sales tax. City officials say the project has been carried out in two phases by Gainesville-based contractor Scorpio; the first phase was cited at $1.9 million while other city reporting lists a $2.6 million total renovation figure. Groundbreaking for the renovations took place April 4, 2025.

Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman framed the park investment in neighborhood terms: “Tom Petty Park is one of our most beloved neighborhood parks, and it’s great to see it getting the investment it deserves.” Wild Spaces & Public Places acting Director Rachel Mandell highlighted the facility improvements aimed at extending play hours and pedestrian safety, saying, “The new lighting extends activity into evening hours,” and “Upcoming trail lighting will provide safer pedestrian connections between the north and south ends of the park.”

City project manager Peter McNiece placed the Tom Petty Park work in the context of citywide demand for courts, noting, “Parks and recs around the country are struggling to keep up with the growing popularity of pickleball.” Local coordinators emphasize that demand is acute: Mary Rossow, RADD Sports pickleball coordinator and USA Pickleball Ambassador, said, “It’s just exploding. Throughout the country, it’s the fastest growing sport.” WUFT reporting noted there were only four public courts dedicated to pickleball in Gainesville before these eight were added; the park is expected to draw over 100 visitors at peak afternoons and weekend hours.

Parking became a flashpoint during planning. Initial project materials showed a planned expansion from 81 spaces to just over 100 spaces, and Betsy Waite, Wild Spaces Director, warned limited spots could create unsafe parking practices. Later Commission action reported by local outlets shows the Gainesville Commission voted against expanding the parking lot and opted to explore partnerships with organizations and businesses; some residents had argued additional parking was unnecessary.

Work remains on a larger park facility that will include storage, restrooms and concessions, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for spring once those final renovations are complete. McNiece said design plans were hoped to be presented to the city commission in early March, with architects and engineers not yet hired and additional construction likely not to begin until later in the year.

Tom Petty Park, renamed from Northeast Park in 2018 and marked with a historical marker by 2024 honoring the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, now has illuminated courts and upgraded trails aimed at making the 501 NE 16th Ave. site a more accessible community hub while the city moves into subsequent design and construction phases.