Alachua residents want their city leaders to make progress on the restoration of Pinkoson Springs, a project that began a year ago and remains stalled.
Pinkoson Springs was once a popular recreational area in Alachua in the mid-1900s. Research by a Gainesville-based consulting firm in 2024 revealed the area was in fact a spring, not just a tributary of nearby Turkey Creek. The city of Alachua and Alachua County agreed during a joint meeting last year to work together to restore the spring. While the city leads the project, Alachua County commissioners made clear they will fully support the project once the city buys the land.
One year later, the city is still struggling to fund the project. Its next budget takes effect in the fall, which is why the issue is under discussion again now.
During Monday’s joint meeting between the city and county commissions, David Wisener, Alachua’s economic development manager, said the city has been focused on acquiring the parcel of land for the past year. Wisener said the land is privately owned, but the owner is willing to sell. The city has still not found a source of funding, though Wisener said the owner’s patience might run out.
A property appraisal conducted on the parcel of land came back with a value around $170,000. The Suwannee River Water Management District requested a 50% cost share from the city to buy the property, a departure from previous preservation efforts that were fully funded. That means the city of Alachua needs to pay $85,000 to acquire the property before any progress can be made.
Pinkoson Springs was once a staple of Alachua culture, but it has experienced some changes throughout its history. The City of Alachua website says it was a “favorite swimming spot” in the early 1900s. In the 1940s, the spring changed owners and was renamed Milwaukee Springs. It was supposed to be a recreational area only for African Americans, according to Wisener. It’s unclear if this plan was fully realized due to the lack of records from the time period. The spring closed a few years later after it had been renamed to Mineral Springs.
“This piece of property is priceless,” said Alachua Vice Mayor Shirley Green Brown. “This is a great opportunity for a partnership.”
Alachua County commissioners nodded in agreement.
“I envision it as kind of a dual win-win as far as historical and environmental,” Alachua County Commissioner Anna Prizzia said.
Evidently, the problem isn’t getting the county in on the deal, it’s finding $85,000.
“I love hearing our commissioners speak about how we want to preserve our water,” resident Rudy Rothseiden said during the meeting’s public comment period, “but let’s put our money where our mouth is.”
The city of Alachua had a budget of $64 million in fiscal year 2024-25. This includes around $950,000 for its “Wild Spaces Public Places Fund,” which could be used for the Pinkoson Springs project. Wisener said they didn’t push for the project enough last year, but it will be more of a priority in the upcoming budget. Alachua County has a similar section of its budget to be used for water quality that commissioners are ready to use for the spring.
“If you all will step up and make that purchase and own the land, I think you’ll have a partner,” County Commissioner Ken Cornell said.
Alachua resident Tamara Robbins advocated that the city funding should be doable.
“I would think that’s pretty easy in a budget of $60 million,” Robbins said portion of the meeting. Robbins said she was “stunned” by the lack of progress since the last joint meeting one year ago.
“Everyone said the same thing (last year). The county was all on board,” she said. “This is inexcusable.”
While the spring used to be a recreational hotspot, the main goal of the project is preservation. A report done by Water and Air Research, Inc. found the nitrate and E. coli levels detected in the water do not meet Florida’s surface water quality standards. Wisener said restoring the water quality is the first step towards preserving the spring.