Soccer legend Abby Wambach could soon have park named after her in Gainesville

One of Gainesville's premier parks for sporting events could soon have a new name later this year.

Forest Park, located in southwest Gainesville, is currently closed to the public as the city embarks on a $2.6 million renovation that will add a new soccer field, improved drainage, turf replacement, shaded structures, bleachers and more.

Some community members hope by the time the park reopens to rename it after one of the greatest women athletes of all time, giving it the championship-like recognition it deserves.

City Commissioner Casey Willits during Thursday's General Policy Committee meeting said he could not think of anyone better than former University of Florida graduate and international superstar Abby Wambach.

"It's a great opportunity to name the park for something that reflects what it is for," he said. "She is so well known and so accomplished."

Wambach has a long list of accomplishments following her carrying the Gators to its first women's soccer championship. She is a six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer's Athlete of the Year award, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a 2015 FIFA World Cup winner and 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year.

In 2015, Time magazine named Wambach one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2019.

She is currently listed as the highest all-time scorer in USA soccer history − for the men and women's teams − with 184 goals.

Willits said he was first approached about the idea by Tracey Sowich, of the Gainesville Regional Soccer League, which regularly uses the park for its matches. He added that more women deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments and that Wambach is a perfect fit.

"This is will be a place marker and develop more of an identity for that park," he said.

Gainesville has a few rules for renaming facilities. One option is a petition process that requires signatures, advisory boards, then a City Commission vote. Willits asked Thursday for the issue to go to an advisory board for a recommendation before the commission votes, a move that garnered support from his colleagues and bypasses a lengthy signature requirement.

One issue that could be a hurdle is a connected conservation area also with the Forest Park name. To avoid confusion, commissioners may also rename that location as well.

The city anticipates reopening the park toward the end of the year in late fall or early winter. The project is being paid for with Wild Spaces Public Places dollars, a half-cent sales tax approved by county voters last year. The state awarded the city a $200,000 grant to also help with the costs.

New lighting will be installed for an additional $900,000 on top of the initial renovation costs. Other planned improvements include pickleball and basketball court surfaces, a space for dogs to run around off leashes, a pavilion, volleyball courts, seating areas, fencing and water bottle fillers.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Soccer great Abby Wambach may have Gainesville park named after her