Gainesville commission will vote on borrowing for renovations tonight

The Gainesville City Commission will vote on funding arsenic contamination remediation in a developing Gainesville park at its meeting tonight. The remediation of Depot Park is already underway through funding from other sources, but with this action, the city would borrow about $1.6 million to complete the project. City Commissioner Thomas Hawkins says the contamination was first caused by industrial activity on the Depot Park land prior to its purchase.

If the contamination is cleared, Hawkins says Depot Park will be developed into a recreational center and house the Cade Museum for Innovation and Invention.  He says commissioners will also look in to borrowing about $4 million for renovations to the Gainesville Police Department.