PARKS & REC
It Starts in the Parks
By Hayli Zuccola
Suwannee Parks and Recreation
From overseeing the glistening waterways of Royal Springs in O ’ Brien and Charles Springs in Live Oak to managing multiple playgrounds , boat ramps , walking trails and green spaces dispersed throughout the county , as well as the coordination of sports programs for basketball , baseball , soccer , cheerleading , football and softball , Suwannee Parks and Recreation maintains and improves around two dozen parks and several recreational activities all of which encourage the community to explore the great outdoors .
“ We help improve the quality of life around this community where people live , work and play ,” said Jason Furry , who is the Parks and Recreation Coordinator for Suwannee Parks & Rec . “ We do things like we take care of three springs that the county owns . We take care of some boat ramps along the river that the county owns . We take care of the pool , the sports complex , we have over 20 parks throughout the county – we represent the city parks and the county parks .”
A major facet of the Suwannee Parks and Recreation department is that new features and upgrades are always being made to the various sites they manage – the most recent being the addition of the 2,000-square-foot Rotary Centennial Splash Pad located at the First Federal SportsPlex . This free water attraction , which officially opened to the public in April , was made possible through the collaboration of the Rotary Club of Live Oak , First Federal Bank , Pilgrim ’ s Pride , Live Oak Pest Control , Suwannee Parks & Recreation and the Suwannee Board of County Commissioners .
Another notable project from the past year was the department ’ s partnership with the Suwannee River Regional Library System to create the Discovery Trail located at the beginning of
Heritage Trail , which presents a page-by-page storybook guests can enjoy while walking along the trail . A wedding pavilion was also added to Heritage Park and Gardens and is now available to rent . Upcoming developments for the next year , which are still in the early stages of planning , include repaving the 12-mile Greenway Trail in Branford ; designing and building a bridge to go across the Ichetucknee River to connect Columbia County to Suwannee County ; and finishing a floating dock for boaters to use at Charles Springs .
Whether it ’ s general conservation or the installation of entirely new amenities like the summer-saving splash pad at the First Federal SxportsPlex , there is always something happening at the sports & rec department . To learn more about each of the individual parks , springs and athletic programs managed by Suwannee Parks and Recreation or to stay up-to-date on their latest projects , visit their website at suwanneeparks . com .
LIVE OAK
Suwannee River State Park 3631 201st Path Catering to outdoor lovers with opportunities to hike and bike along the banks of the Suwannee River while witnessing overlooks of Little Gem Spring and Lime Sink Run ; photography enthusiasts who can encounter bird sightings of herons , woodpeckers , barred owls and warblers ; and history buffs interested in seeing remnants of a 19thcentury steamship and two reclaimed ghost towns , Suwannee River State Park offers a little something for everyone .
Ellaville Tract and Anderson Springs
106 SUWANNEE CHAMBER IMPACT | 2022-2023