Construction is progressing on Blueprint Intergovernmental Agencys Northeast Park, and members of the sports community say the project represents the future of sports and recreation in the city.
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Northeast Park construction advances with fields, courts and community spaces planned
Leon County Parks Director Amanda Heidecker says construction is in full force.
Plans for the park include football and soccer fields, softball and baseball fields, sand volleyball courts, and pickleball and basketball courts.
On the passive recreation side, the park will feature a 1,000-square-foot community room, a playground, picnic pavilions, green spaces and a 1-mile walking trail.
Heidecker says Leon County will maintain the facilities and oversee daily operations.
“We will be partnering with our sports providers, which is Little League, Babe Ruth, and Pop Warner. This will serve as their home for many of their sports groups,” Heidecker said. But outside of that, you can go onto our Leon County Parks website, and you’ll be able to reserve a field when they’re not being used by those sports providers.
Kendal Powell, one of the owners of indoor hitting facility, The Battery, says the project has generated excitement since he spoke at early Blueprint meetings in support of it.
He says a lack of available space in Tallahassee was a driving factor.
“We built this facility here because of just lack of space in town for indoor, you know, hitting for girls, so now, it’s the same thing with outdoor,” Powell said.
Powell hopes to bring his nonprofit, Touching Base, to the new park. The organization provides free softball clinics to athletes in underserved areas.
I would love to be out there running clinics, you know, and getting kids out there that where, you know, we could partner with the county for access to the field, he said.
Heidecker says the park’s broader community value extends beyond athletics.
“Anytime we’re able to add places for families to gather, you know, community events, sporting events, that is a huge win and obviously one of our goals here at Strategic Initiatives within Leon County,” she said.
The park is expected to be completed by summer 2027, according to Heidecker.
According to Blueprint, the project cost remains $12 million.
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