Gainesville is the largest city in and the county seat of Alachua County. It serves as the cultural, educational and commercial center for the North Central Florida Region. The City of Gainesville provides a full range of municipal services, including police and fire protection; comprehensive land use planning and zoning services; code enforcement and neighborhood improvement; streets and drainage construction and maintenance; traffic engineering services; refuse and recycling services; recreation and parks; cultural and nature services; and necessary administrative services to support these activities. Additionally, the City owns a regional transit system, a municipal airport, a 72-par championship golf course and a utility.
Gainesville is home to Florida's largest and oldest university, the University of Florida. UF and Shands/UF are the leading employers in Gainesville. Known for its preservation of historic buildings and the beauty of its natural surroundings, the City of Gainesville's numerous parks, museums and historic areas make it a unique and special place with the sophistication and culture found in a big city and the natural resources and bauty of a much smaller town. Because of its beautiful landscape and protected tree canopy, Gainesville is one of the most attractive cities in Florida.
