Parks of St. Pete: Gladden Park

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

Beginning with City Park (today’s Williams Park) in the late 19th century and expanding to the waterfront in the early 20th, St. Petersburg’s parks have a long history of providing locals and visitors with a wide variety of amenities. Today, St. Pete can boast more than 150 city parks and numerous Pinellas County parks. According to the Trust for Public Land, 77 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park. Park amenities vary depending on location and size and can include picnic areas, playgrounds, beaches, boat ramps, fishing docks, playing fields, sports courts, fitness equipment, trails, nature preserves, art installations, and historic sites. Dogs and skaters even have their own spaces. Parks & Recreation also offers classes, service projects, camps, and a variety of after-school educational programs. Choose an activity or choose to relax, and there’s a park or recreation center that fits your needs.

Situated at 3918 32nd Ave. N, Gladden Park is a great city recreational area that offers myriad indoor and outdoor activities for people of all ages.

Perfect for Outside Fun

Spread out over nine acres, Gladden Park is a perfect place to hone your athletic skills or simply enjoy a beautiful day in the Sunshine City. An expanse of green space provides room for kids or pets to frolic, and a walking path extends around the park’s borders. Gladden Park also offers visitors a dedicated space for a variety of sports. If you’re looking for team competitions, its sports complex has a baseball field, a basketball court, and six lanes of shuffleboard. The park even offers visitors a chance to pitch for points on a horseshoe court. If you’re looking to challenge yourself and pump up those muscles, the park also has a fitness zone with an extensive array of exercise equipment. A playground offers kids a place to enjoy their time at the park while a nearby shelter provides a shady place for visitors to relax.

Indoor Recreation

If you’re looking for fun in the shade and some cool air, then the Gladden Park Recreation Center is the place to be. The center is home to an air-conditioned gym, dance room, and a large room that can be divided into two smaller spaces for a multitude of uses. The gym offers league play as well as scheduled open hours for indoor basketball and pickleball. In addition to sports, the center offers classes for people of all ages, from ballet and tap dancing to composting and cardio drumming. Youth and teen programs provide before- and after-school opportunities as well as seasonal camps for young people in kindergarten through eighth grade. These opportunities allow time and space for youngsters to play, learn, and explore through interactive activities, field trips, and more. In addition, the Teen Arts, Sports and Cultural Opportunities (TASCO) Division provides programs and opportunities for middleand high-school kids, including a teen room and competitive recreational sports.

For more information about any of St. Pete’s many parks visit www.stpeteparksrec.org or call (727) 893-7441.

For detailed information about Gladden Park Recreation Center’s hours, programs, leagues, and fees call (727) 893-7458 or visit www.stpeteparksrec.org/gladdenparkrec