This is a must visit. The pool is 85 degrees. Its huge. They have movies on a massive screen…read morewith an awesome sound system. The locker rooms are clean and kept. There is a nice patio area. They have concessions with junk food, soft drinks, beer, and wine. The list of offerings is too long to write in a review. Check out the website. There is nothing like this in north central Florida. Check the schedule for adult date night. That's right - drop your kid(s) off at the pool on select Fridays and they'll keep the kids entertained for the evening.

This public pool was renovated back in 2022, updating in many ways the original 1960s design with…read morenew locker rooms and other improvements--a new waterslide was also added in 2023. The pool itself is large and unless swim meets are underway, the majority of it is for open swim most of the time. Two or three lanes are normally reserved for lap swimmers as well but for me, as a diver, my main attraction is the dive well. The pool has a dive well which is connected to the rest of the pool but normally cordoned off via the swim lanes. There are two 1M and two 3M springboards and these are open to the public if dive practice or other events like artistic swimming practice are not taking place. There is also a dive tower with 3M, 7M, and 10M platforms but this is only accessible for dive teams and other serious divers who have authorization--as a diver who has used it I very much appreciate its presence because 10M platforms are very, very, hard to find outside of universities in the US. (For other divers, yes, I know the heights are weird and 5M and 7.5M are standard today--I don't know why the two lower platforms are strange heights.) So, to recap, plenty of American public pools have removed even their 3M springboards for liability and other silly reasons and yet here we have, in Gainesville, springboards and even a tower. In fact, all three our Gville public pools have both 1M and 3M springboards which is insanely good fortune. I don't think Jax or Orlando can even claim this. Beyond diving, it's simply a really nice pool: they play great music over the stereo, the lifeguards are in my experience all super-chill, super-competent, folks and you see everyone from swim teams to older serious swimmers to kids splashing around having a grand ole time. This is one of the real success stories of Gainesville's parks and rec programs in my view.

I live near the area and finally got my Photo id so I can…read morecome to the pool for the summer and play tennis Baseball and basketball.

I just find it really stupid that you can't bring people in unless your 16.I honestly don't…read morerecommend it either because they are really rude when you scan your card as well.

Absolutely wonderful: clean, warm, agreeable lap swimmers. Easy to access and pool calendar is…read morevery helpful.

So happy I signed up recently to swim here! I have an outside pool at home but the water got too…read morecold to use. They have this pool moderately warm 82 degrees or so so I'm able to swim my laps. There is sometimes swim team or lessons going on but they do not use all the lanes so I've been able to swim every time I've gone in my own lane.

Nice pool nice staff there is a regular pool lap pool and a kiddie pool I visited for my swimming…read morelessons in June and July would go again next year

No complaints, really. I came here to both lap swim and to dive. For diving, they have two 1-meter…read moreboards and one 3-meter board. The lifeguards, though young, are very professional and good at their jobs plus prompt to answer any questions. There's ample room for lap swimming plus a children's shallow kiddie pool and another shallow area for people to just splash around if not lap swimming--plus the diving well. Some reviewers have commented on high school swim teams coming here to practice: apparently the deal is for some to come here, some to Westside, some go to UF as well. Until the School Board builds its own aquatics facility (unlikely), that will probably be how things go. (Whereas Jacksonville high schools in contrast have their own swimming pools on site in many cases.) School swim teams need places to practice, so this is a logical solution and I don't see it as impinging much on other patrons. Other reviewers (here and elsewhere) have complained some kids are loud and disrespectful: I did not experience that, yeah, kids can be loud but all I encountered were very polite. The locker rooms: the men's locker room is indeed old, probably original. I did not find it dirty however. Unlike the renovated Westside (Cherry) Pool, it actually has enough lockers to accommodate for two swim teams--or probably more. That's important if you're having meets here. I don't think Westside with its renovations provides that level of locker room space. So, as a diver and swimmer, no complaints here. Yeah, it's not a brand new nor renovated facility but clean and well-run: it meets my criteria certainly.

11/15/25 vendor.Holiday market, noon till 5pm. Many vendors selling paintings, jewelry, foods,…read morecatering, travel agencies, huge stained glass window to set up on porches, educational services, before/after school places, etc.

I have been inside the recreation center now twice. Once for an art auction and now for the CCW…read morewrestling championship. Yes nothing like a good old fashioned knock down drag out wrestling entertainment to get anyone yelling. The gym are is large as they had a wrestling ring set up along with an entry way for the wrestlers to come into the area while being introduced. This place is big enough to have chairs all around a wrestling ring and to the wall and standing room only, (I think they had to turn people away) this was a popular event. During the art auction, the rugs were laying all over the large floor area, plus they had numerous paintings and sculptures displayed. During events, there is a kitchen area where they sell hot dogs and sodas and probably other items depending on the concession person involved. Please watch your step as you exit the building at night as the lighting is poor and the brick planter area out front is a tripping hazard as we found out during our exit, thus the check in at the ER.

amazing place needs more people supporting it because its underrated the people are genuinely nice…read moreit has things for everybody

Overall, far less than impressed. It's a new-ish facility but already showing its wear and built…read moresmaller than its current capacities dictate which planners should have realized when it was planned. The dive well has only 1m boards and a 3m could have been included, but wasn't. Locker rooms are absolutely tiny. I've been to an aquatics center in Lewisburg, West Virginia which is a town about the size of Lake City or smaller that pool is better than Cecil and is about the same size. For Jax-area, this needs to be much larger. Then there is my personal experience. I called ahead to ask if I could practice water polo here and the lady on the phone said, sure, of course. I show up with my polo ball and another girl is like "no, you can't take that ball in the pool". I explained other staff said I could and this was standard practice for water polo. She said "the other person must not have known what water polo was and that it involved balls". Sorry, you should not work at an aquatic center if you don't know what water polo is, period. Train your staff, Cecil. Also, face masks for underwater swimming which cover the nose are not allowed--these are standard training gear for swimmers. The lifeguard didn't know why and agreed the rule is stupid but said that's the rule. I'm a licensed USA Diving coach. I'm also very versed in high school and collegiate swimming and water polo. I also happen to run a youth sports program at another institution and per all this I can validly say the rules here and lack of staff training/knowledge are pathetic and far below national or World Aquatics or even FHSAA standards. Get it together, people. I gave two instead of one star because the pool itself is alright for lap swimming at the least.

Absolutely beautiful so much fun! I love it so much and good for all ages and amazing fun and…read moreincredible memories and incredible the staff is fantastic and nice and kind and amazing knowledge unbelievable remarkable unbelievable I love it so much! Brilliant and so smart unbelievable safe remarkable so beautiful! From Lauren

Overpriced, lacking in maintenance, events are lame, food is terrible, drinks are terrible and…read moreoverpriced... used to be a whole lot better maybe 4-5 years ago...

Very nice outdoor pool with a small bar that serves alcohol, beer, wine and a bunch of small…read moreplates. They serve a great burger!

Great atmosphere & view. Food & service great. We have been here several times and will be back…read more Thanks!

This was a little hard to review...the event was a Holiday Extravaganza (not the facility of…read moreJulington Creek Plantations) and if you were a family there with your kids...I'm sure it was great! Free pic with Santa, free coloring, cookies/candy canes, free face painting and balloons BUT if you were one of the 30 or so vendors... we had a very slow to "no" night because no one appeared to come to start their "buy local and handmade gifts for the holidays"! People were polite, the kids were cute in their Christmas attire but the parents were almost sheepish looking at the vendors items like "We aren't here to buy anything " so I think maybe just offer the free event to the local residents and not invite (who paid) vendors to come; the community will still like it.

Fantastic food and service. If you are looking for Fresh Catch of The Day this is the place. Our…read morefamily had such a great meal