SUWANNEE PARKS & REC Suwannee Parks and Recreation Department
By Hayli Zuccola
Behind many of Suwannee County’ s favorite community traditions and outdoor spaces is the Suwannee Parks and Recreation Department. From supporting signature events like Christmas on the Square and the Suwannee County Rodeo to maintaining parks, managing public recreation facilities and organizing youth sports, the department plays a vital role in enhancing quality of life throughout the county.
Led by Director Alden Rosner, the small but mighty department oversees 13 parks and playgrounds, including the Suwannee River Greenway and First Federal Sportsplex. The team also maintains public amenities such as tennis courts, skate parks and pickleball courts while managing several springs and boat ramps, including Royal Springs, Charles Springs, the Peacock Lake Boat Ramp and the Dowling Park Boat Ramp. Throughout the year, the department coordinates youth athletics ranging from soccer and baseball to cheerleading.
Keeping those spaces vibrant means continually investing in improvements. Several major projects are expected to be completed this year, including a new community center just outside Branford featuring a basketball gym, volleyball court and conference room. The John H. Hale Community Park Multipurpose Community Facility is also slated for completion in September and will include office space, classrooms, a computer lab, a telecommunications room and telemedicine space.
Additional improvements are on the way at Douglas Park, where the Maurice E. Perkins Community Center is expected to open in October alongside renovations to the adjacent gym, including two new classrooms and upgrades to the basketball courts.
State funding has also helped expand recreational opportunities across the county. Three $ 200,000 grants through the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program funded improvements at several parks. Wellborn Park received a new pickleball court, resurfaced basketball court, playground, picnic pavilion and outdoor fitness equipment along its walking trail. Hatch Park in Branford added renovated tennis courts, two lighted pickleball courts, a repainted basketball court, a covered batting cage and playground improvements. At Heritage Park in Live Oak, work continues on expanding the covered event
pavilion to include permanent restrooms and a concession area.
On the water, a grant through the Florida Boating Improvement Program, administered by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, funded the installation of a new floating dock at Charles Springs.
Looking ahead, one of the department’ s largest projects is a new airconditioned livestock show barn at the Suwannee County Fairgrounds, complete with a concession stand and expected to be finished in April 2027. Plans are also underway for an erosion control and bank restoration project at Little River Springs in partnership with the Suwannee River Water Management District.
Whether it’ s constructing major community facilities or making smaller improvements such as new lighting, resurfaced courts and upgraded playgrounds, the Suwannee Parks and Recreation Department continues to shape the places where residents gather, play and enjoy the outdoors.
128 SUWANNEE CHAMBER IMPACT | 2026-2027