Westside Recreation Center

Albert Ray Massey (Westside) Park in Gainesville, Florida, is a 26.3-acre recreational area that serves as one of the city's most popular parks. Dedicated to the people of Gainesville in 1972, the park is named after Albert "Ray" Massey, who served as Gainesville's Parks and Recreation Director for many years.

The park underwent extensive renovations between 2020 and 2023, with a total investment of $5.5 million in improvements. The centerpiece of these renovations is Gainesville's first fully inclusive playground, which reopened to the public on March 31, 2023. The new playground features a space-themed motif inspired by the adjacent NW 8th Avenue Solar Walk public art installation. It offers physical, social, and sensory play experiences for children of all ages and abilities, with accessible surfaces and equipment designed to accommodate visitors with varying levels of mobility.

The park complex includes the H. Spurgeon Cherry (Westside) Pool and the Joyce Oransky Tennis Center. The renovation project also improved the park's baseball fields, including field regrading, new "performance" turf, and the addition of an ADA-accessible viewing area. The parking area was reconfigured to provide more spaces, including dedicated areas for buses, scooters, and motorcycles, as well as an increased number of ADA-compliant parking spots.

Albert Ray Massey Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities for visitors. It features 1.5 miles of shaded walking trails equipped with outdoor gym equipment, providing a perfect setting for exercise and relaxation. The park's diverse amenities cater to sports enthusiasts, families, and individuals seeking outdoor activities in a well-maintained environment.