New pavilions offer relief from the summer sun.
Gilchrist Park was named in honor of Florida Gov. Albert W Gilchrist and the park is a continued investment for Plant City. The recent improvements will help with accessibility and provide a safe place for children to enjoy.
Plant City Parks and Recreation Director Julie Garretson said the park’s improvements highlight a multi-year effort to modernize infrastructure and expand opportunities for families and visitors to gather.
“The first of two new playgrounds opened in 2023, marking a major milestone in revitalizing the park’s recreation offering. The second playground officially opened in December 2025,” Garretson said.
She said both playgrounds were designed with accessibility and are fulfilling the Americans with Disability Act or ADA.
“This ensures children of all abilities can safely enjoy the space,” Garretson said.
There will be new parking spaces and walkways throughout the parks. Garretson said these parking spaces include ADA-compliant parking and connecting sidewalk infrastructure.
“These upgrades improve mobility throughout the park and create safer, more convenient access points for families, seniors, and individuals with unique disabilities,” Garretson said.
The design for the 2023 playground features interconnected activities that offer age-appropriate challenges for children of varying abilities. Kate Anaya, a project designer with Rep Services Inc., the company assisting with construction, said the park will include a built-in fire pole, a seesaw designed so a wheelchair user can transfer onto it, and a multi-user spinner with transitions set at transfer height to accommodate wheelchair users.
Anaya said the park has a user saddle spinner, musical equipment, four belt seat swings, and a combination of rubber on the surface.
“The city wanted to expand with even more inclusive aspects,” Anaya said. “Cut to 2025, when the Parks & Recreation department was able to bring that expansion to life and replace an aging playground at the park, and also asked Rep Services to replace two aging pavilions.”
In 2025, the playground focused more toward older children. It has a tree-house themed structure, more musical equipment, a spinner that allows a wheelchair user to train in their chair, a swing that allows a wheelchair user to remain in their chair, a sensory wall, and rubber safety surfacing.
According to the ADA, for parking to meet ADA requirements, they must be located on the shortest accessible route to the accessible entrance, parking spaces must have accessible aisles, and the spots must be provided for not only cars but vans too.
The pedestrian bridge within the park has also been refurbished. This is to help improve safety measures as pedestrians walk through the park.
The improvements don’t stop there. During last week’s City Commission meeting, the commissioners approved a $103,116.38 resolution to replace two pavilion shelters. Vice-Mayor Jason Jones said this was an easy decision.
Once the purchase order is issued, Garretson said it takes about 28 weeks to manufacture the playground.
“Playground construction is usually completed within a month once they are on site,” she said.
Anya said the pavilions will provide great space to take a break and relax out of the sun.
“The shady havens are also great for inclusivity, as some children cannot tolerate long periods of sun exposure and heat. Parents also love to be able to supervise seated in the shade,” she said.
The two pavilions can be reserved for special events on the Plant City Gov. website. Each pavilion has five tables and seats 40 people. There is one located on the north side of the playground, and the other is located on the south side of the playground. It is $30 plus a small processing fee, and it covers the entire day, 8:00 a.m. through sunset.
“The city has future capital funds allocated for the replacement of the park restroom facility and the project is currently in site plan phase,” Garretson said. “Once completed, the new restrooms will support increased park usage, improve visitor comfort, and align with the overall modernization of the park’s amenities.”
Once the renovations are completed, Garretson said the park is positioned to serve residents for generations to come.
