Designers from Kimley-Horn presented an early draft of proposed improvements to the Morningside Nature Center during a recent open house, then invited attendees to share their feedback.
The project, still in its early stages, is part of a 15- to 20-year master plan by the city’s Wild Spaces and Public Places program to modernize local parks while supporting community engagement.
“They’ve got a big plan,” said Merald Clark, who spent 17 years working at Morningside and attended the meeting on Saturday.
The proposal for Morningside Nature Center includes two major buildings: a 6,700-sq.-ft. structure that would serve as a primary nature center, and a second building measuring 7,000 square feet to be used as an education and training center.
They would be the largest structures in the park. Additional upgrades include a redesigned entrance, a programmable plaza to host events, reconfigured parking, more restrooms and enhanced trails throughout the park.
While some attendees expressed excitement about the potential upgrades, others voiced concerns about preserving Morningside’s natural charm.
One woman said the proposed signage looked too modern and detracted from the park’s rustic character. Another attendee, Pam Lahiff, worried that the park might start to feel too industrial — a pattern she said she’s seen at other renovated parks.
Still, Lahiff praised the presentation and the city’s use of taxpayer funds.
“They’re doing a very good job,” she said.
Some attendees offered ideas of their own. Clark proposed a three-level building that would allow visitors to experience the park from multiple perspectives — an aerial view, a ground-level view and a lower level to explore root systems and soil. He also encouraged the addition of educational kiosks throughout the park.
These kiosks, which Clark called “non-personal interpretations,” would highlight the animals in the ecosystem, the soil and wildlife beneath visitors’ feet and the historical significance of the land.
There may be other public meetings held by Kimley-Horn designers as they seek approval from the Gainesville City Commission.
Kimley-Horn landscape architect Elizabeth Manley said the firm’s joint project with Wild Spaces and Public Places is expecting to meet with the city commission in June about the drafted plan.
Manley shared the draft for Morningside in two presentations in the morning and early afternoon, and the message for their vision remained consistent.
“How can we refresh, how can we make things more in line with what folks typically are seeing and experiencing in other natural parks while still preserving the natural character,” Manley said.
