|
North
Central Florida… Where Nature & Culture Meet
 The Gainesville/Alachua County area is the nation's
best place to live, according to Money Magazine,
September 1995. For six consecutive years, it has been
tapped as Florida's most livable city and has ranked
among the leaders in the nation.
Situated in the heart of beautiful North Central
Florida, the Gainesville area basks in Gulf breezes that
make summer days warm and nights cool, and produce dry
and mild winters. It is this most favorable geographic
location that gives Gainesville its outstanding
climate-warm sunny days for outdoor activities and cool
fall evenings, affording our citizens a wonderful change
of seasons.
 Florida's
natural resources are evident in Alachua County. Smooth,
flowing rivers for fishing and boating, glistening
springs for swimming and diving and many parks for
picnics and day trips offer our residents and visitors
the very best in healthy outdoor fun for the whole
family. With the area containing approximately 100
square miles of dotted scenic lakes, wetlands and
trails, it is a delight for nature lovers of all ages.
Gainesville, known as Tree City, U.S.A., offers a
heavy tree canopy of pines and hardwoods, keeping us
cool in the summer and sheltered in the winter. In
addition, a wide variety of cultural events, including
arts festivals and exhibits, galleries and theaters
delight both young and old, offering exceptional balance
to our diversified academic, medical, agricultural and
industrial activities.
 Gainesville
is proud to be the first designated "Gold Level Well
City" in the nation! The city received this honored in
April 2003 by the Wellness Council of America, for this
highest level achievement and was realized after a
three-year campaign to challenge the trend of obesity.
Twenty-one area businesses and organizations (more than
50 percent of the total area workforce)
assembled employee wellness teams responsible for
planning, developing, and evaluating worksite wellness
activities and programs. |
|
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium |
|
Gator Basketball |
There
are nationally acclaimed collegiate football,
basketball, soccer, and track events, as well as
swimming, golf and tennis. Fans flock to the athletic
events located on the campus of the University of
Florida. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, the
university's football stadium, known as “the Swamp”
where “only Gators come out alive,” is home to the SEC
powerhouse Gator football team. Gator fans from around
the country converge on the city for Florida football
every fall. In 1991, the team won its first Southeast
Conference Championship and became the first team in the
University's history to achieve a 10-win season. In
1996, the team won the National Championship. It also is
the site for the high school state championship games
each December. The original stadium, the lower half of
the current stadium, was built in 1930. Completion of
the South End Zone in August 1982 raised seating
capacity to over 72,000. Addition of the North End Zone
brought it to over 84,000. Today it seats more than
90,000 fans and makes Florida Field the largest stadium
in Florida. |
|
Steven C O'Connell Center |
The O’Connell Center, which covers 3.6 acres, or
approximately 296,000-square feet, was built mainly for
instruction & recreation. Up to 1,500 students a day
take physical education classes while many more take
advantage of the facilities for recreational swimming,
martial arts, weightlifting & other activities. Many of
the University teams such as basketball & gymnastics
teams call the O Dome their home. More than 1,000
persons can participate simultaneously in at least nine
different activities. Events hosted include rock
concerts, philharmonic orchestras, international
swimming meets, basketball games, circuses & fairs. In
2006, the men’s basketball team also captured its first
National Championship by defeating UCLA.
 Each March, drag racing fans numbering more than
135,000 are drawn to the NHRA Gatornationals, during the
four-day event. In addition to this stop on the NHRA
circuit, the Gainesville Raceway hosts amateur car,
motorcycle and Jr. Dragster drag races.
 Through the efforts of the
Gainesville Sports
Organizing Committee, Inc. (GSOC), the area’s full time
sports commission, Alachua County has attracted many
exciting events in recent years. Since 1988, the GSOC
has hosted and helped other organizations host events
that have created more than $100 million in local
economic activity.
A sampling of events hosted by the GSOC includes USA
Track & Field Junior Nationals, SE Regional Junior
Olympic Wrestling for USA Wrestling, Baquacil Age Group
Championships (the world’s largest synchronized swimming
event), US Cycling Junior Road Nationals, Speedo Junior
Nationals for USA Swimming, Florida Sunshine State
Games, Florida Law Enforcement Games, National Women’s
Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, US Tennis $10K Women’s
Tournament, Florida Special Olympics Basketball and Golf
Championships, Gainesville Senior Games, State High
School Tennis Championships, the Third Annual Sports
Medicine Seminar, and the ASA/NRA Pro Am Florida
Invitational Archery Tournament.
Cyclists can pedal almost anywhere in the county with
60 miles of roadways containing on-street bike lanes.
Gainesville has been ranked among the top 10 bicycling
communities in the U. S. by Bicycling Magazine. Cyclist
will also enjoy the Hawthorne Trail, a 16 mile paved
trail that stretches from Gainesville to Hawthorne.
 The Gainesville area has nine golf courses and
practice facilities to challenge the most avid golfer.
Each October, the Chamber hosts its annual ProEd Golf
Classic, with proceeds benefiting the Chamber Teacher
Mini-Grant Program and other Chamber education programs.
In essence, the climate, housing affordability,
leisure and cultural activities, healthcare facilities
and community services all contribute to make
Gainesville one of the most sought after places to live.
|
