Among the wide variety of parks one might find in Ocala, pocket parks are sometimes among the easiest to overlook.
That’s because pocket parks are typically created on smaller, irregular pieces of land throughout the city and county.
Fisher Park is located in the southeast portion of the city at 900 SE 22nd Street, just across the street (464A) from Brick City Adventure Park. Fisher Park features a basketball court, playground equipment, a racquetball court, exercise equipment, picnic tables and even barbecue grills. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Both Todd C. Prosser Park and Florence Moore Turnipseed Park are located in the downtown Ocala area, offering picnic tables and barbecue grills.
Turnipseed Park, which is located at 1225 SE 7th Street, is covered in large oak canopy that makes for a beautiful, shaded reprieve.
Todd C. Prosser Park is located at 1100 SE Avenue and offers a large, open area for visitors.
Some of the pocket parks are free spaces that are unfettered by amenities, including Powhattan Park at 3800 SE 3rd Street.
Scotty J Andrews Park, located at 1104 SE 12th Street, is situated around a pond and features a Horse Fever statue as one of its focal points.
Outside of the smaller parks, Ocala is also home to award-winning, nationally recognized parks like the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park, and Tuscawilla Park, which is now accepting artists for its biennial competition.
Do you have a favorite pocket park in Ocala? Share your opinions with us in a comment below or a letter to the editor.