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Columbia County Parks and Recreation
Columbia County is dedicated to providing quality recreation opportunities
for our residents and visitors.
Below are listings of parks that offer various passive recreation opportunities,
as well as information on our community centers, boat ramps and the joint
County-City active recreation programs.
Recreational Areas Rules
The Various Recreational Areas are located throughout the area provide
wholesome activities for fitness and life enrichment.
All parks and recreational areas share the same set of rules:
No Pets
No Alcohol
Do not attach decorations, tarps, or banners of any kind to the picnic
pavilions.
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Southside Sports Complex |
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Southside Recreation Complex
1999 SW Ballpark Glen
Lake City, FL 32025
For tournament play, please contact Clint Pittman at 386-719-7545
or by email at
clint_pittman@columbiacountyfla.com
- 10 - two hundred foot baseball fields. Four are lighted.
Grass infields.
- 3 - three hundred foot baseball fields. One is lighted.
Grass infields.
- 8 - two hundred foot girl's softball fields. All are lighted.
Clay infields.
- 4 - three hundred foot adult softball fields. All are lighted.
Clay infields.
- 5 - Soccer fields of assorted sizes. Four are lighted
- A total of 827 paved parking lot spaces in four different
locations at the site.
- Centrally located concession and restroom buildings at each
four-field pod.
- Maintenance of fields and restroom facilities during tournaments
are provided at no cost to tournament promoters with a 24 team
minimum registration.
- 15 screened batting cages. Portable mounds and temporary
fencing available.
- A 12 passenger tram to assist in transporting equipment
and spectators.
The Columbia County Board of County Commissioners in cooperation
with the Tourist Development Council recently considered a plan
to implement approximately $2.6 million in improvements to the
Southside Recreation Complex.
Planned Improvements
The 30 field complex includes 13 youth baseball fields, eight
girl's softball fields, a four-field adult softball complex
and five soccer fields.
Included in the improvements are three new combination concession/restroom
buildings to better serve both local residents and visitors
attending the many sports tournaments hosted at the complex.
In all, 16 fields will be upgraded with both new sod and modifications
to the playing surfaces. This work will be accomplished over
a four-year period and an effort to reduce any negative impact
on both recreational and tournament play at the complex.
A major landscaping project will be conducted at the primary
entrance to the Southside Recreation Complex on Bascom Norris
Road to enhance the eye appeal for the facility with an LED
sign, water fountains and complimentary shrubs and trees.
A total of 40 new sets of bleachers will be installed with guardrails
on all of the equipment to enhance safety and accessibility.
In addition, ADA sidewalks will be added where needed, along
with safety and shade netting for the seating areas and common
areas between the four-field quadrants of the facility.
Additional parking will be provided with a new 300-space lot
located between the girls softball complex and the soccer fields.
One of the major upgrades to the facility will be replacement
of all of the existing lights at the eight-field girls softball
complex, along with electrical upgrades throughout the complex.
Additional maintenance items will include roof replacement on
two existing concession buildings, an additional storage building
and fencing.
Part of the funding for the improvements at the Southside Recreation
Complex is expected to be generated from a 1% increase in the
Local Option Tourist Development Tax (bed tax) levied on overnight
visitors to Columbia County |
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Recreational Areas |
Alligator Lake Recreation Area
420 SE Alligator Glen
Lake City, Florida 32025 |
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Trail Map for Alligator Lake
Park |
Office - (386)
719-7545
HOURS:
Tuesday - Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.*
Monday - CLOSED
*Winter Hours: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Columbia County purchased the Alligator Lake Recreation Area through
the Florida Preservation 2000 grant program in 1997. Approximately
1000 acres of green space and wetlands, the area provides the following
passive recreation opportunities:
- 12 miles of Hiking/Biking Trails
- Playground (Handicapped Accessible)
- 6 Covered Picnic Pavilions (1st come 1st served)
- Ponderosa Pavilion (reservations only)
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- Nature Observation
- Sand Volleyball Court
- Horseshoe Pit
- Fishing
- Canoe Trails
- Canoe Launch
- ADA restrooms
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Additionally, the Ponderosa Pavilion is available for special
events. For more information about reservations and rental charges
for the facility, please contact the Landscape & Parks office,
386-719-7545 or by email at:
clint_pittman@columbiacountyfla.com
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Falling Creek Falls
Phone: (386) 719-7545
HOURS:
Open year round from 8 a.m. to dark
Located on County Road 131 just north of the 441/I10 interchange,
Falling Creek Falls was opened October 2001. A joint project between
the Suwannee River Water Management District and Columbia County,
the property was purchased from the Parker & Hogan Families
to protect and preserve the Falls for present and future generations.
This park is an excellent example of an ongoing cooperative arrangement
that benefits our public while protecting one of our most beautiful
natural resources.
The Falling Creek Falls park provides the following recreation
opportunities:
- Elevated Boardwalk to
the Falls
- Grassed parking area
- Three Picnic Pavillions
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- Walking Trail
- Restroom
- Playground
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Five Points Park
Corner of Old Valdosta Hwy. and Laverne Ave.
Phone: (386) 719-7545
Five Points Park offers the following passive recreation
opportunities:
- Basketball Court
- Playground equipment
The County has developed this park on property owned by the Columbia
County School System, to provide residents and visitors to the Five
Points community with a neighborhood recreation area.
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Bethlehem Park
157 SW Bethlehem Ave.
Fort White, FL 32038
(Corner of Old Bellamy Rd and Bethlehem Ave.)
Contacts:
Neomia Brown at 386-438-4340
Harvey McCloud at 386-454-2526
Bethlehem Park offers the following passive recreation
opportunities:
- Basketball Court
- Restrooms
- Playground
- 1 Picnic Pavilion
- Softball Field
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Richardson Community Center
Location
255 NE Coach Anders Lane
Lake City, Florida 32055
Phone numbers: 386-754-7095, 386-754-7096, fax 386-754-7097
Email: Mario Coppock or
Nicole Smith
Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Summer Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Facilities:
- 1 Indoor Air-Conditioned Gymnasium with lockerooms/restrooms
- 1 Conference Room
- 1 Concessions Room
- 1 all purpose meeting room
- 1 Cafeteria
- 1 Kitchen (oven, stove, refrigerator, microwave, three compartment
sink)
- 1 regulation softball field
- 8 outdoor basketball courts
- 1 tennis court
- 3 covered picnic tables
- 1 youth playground with equipment
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(top of page)
Community Centers
Community centers are located throughout the county and make excellent
opportunities for families to hold reunions and gatherings.
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Community Centers
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Deep Creek Community
Center
11934 N. US Highway 441
Lake City, Fl. 32055
Phone: 386-719-7568
Contact: Colby Law at
386-755-6975 (Milton's Grocery Store)
Additional Amenities: Picnic Tables,
Swings |
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Lulu Community
Center
205 SW Community Drive
Lulu, Fl.32601
Phone: 386-758-2136
Contact: Renee Markham at
386-752-7499
Additional Amenities: Basketball Court
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Mason City Community Center
11110 S. US Highway 441
Lake City, Fl. 32025
Phone: 386-758-1394
Contact: Margie Markham at
386-752-1494
Additional Amenities: Ballfield, Basketball
Court, Covered Picnic Pavilion, Playground equipment
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South Columbia
Ft. White Community Center
17579 SW State Road 47
Fort White, Fl. 32038
Phone: 386-497-3089
Contact: Ft. White Town Hall at
386-497-2321
Additional Amenities: Ballfields,
Basketball Court, Tennis Court, Playground equipment |
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Springville Community Center
3710 NW Suwannee Valley Road
Lake City, Fl. 32055
Phone: 386-752-5484
Contact: Fred McIntosh at 386-752-4205
Contact: Gloria McIntosh at 386-755-1099
Additional Amenities: Basketball Court,
Picnic Pavilion, Playground equipment |
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Westside Community Center
431 SW Birley Ave
Lake City, FL 32024
Contact: Lucille Coates, 386-752-5617
Additional Amenities: Playground equipment
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Winfield Community
Center & Recreation Area
1324 NW Winfield St.
Lake City, Fl. 32055
Phone: 719-7509
Contact: Willy B. Allen at 386-397-0917 or Rentz Galloway at 386-752-5643
Additional Amenities:Ballfield, Basketball,
Tennis Court, 2 covered picnic pavilions, Playground equipment,
Nature Trail |
(top of
page)
Boat Ramps
Access to the many water bodies and rivers of our area, the County maintains
six boat ramps for the citizens of Columbia County and visitors to our area.
Currently, there are no restroom facilities or other recreational amenities
at these locations.
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Alligator Lake South South Marion Avenue
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Bible Camp Road Off 441/41 South at O'Leno Road
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Cone Bridge US 441 North
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Hollingsworth Bluff Off US 47 South at SW Hollingsworth Street
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Rum Island Off County Road 138 South of Ft. White
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River RiseUS Highway 27 between Ft. White and High Springs
To report problems/request repairs, please contact the Columbia County
Public Works Department at (386) 758-1019.
(top of page)
For further information regarding the City Recreation Department,
please contact Roger Little at (386) 758-5427.
For further information regarding the County recreational facilities,
please contact Clint Pittman at (386) 719-7545.
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