I am glad I don't have to worry about gators. I stayed with a friend down in Florida years ago, they had four patio/decks/docks leading down to their pontoon in a canal off Lake Tarpon, I asked her once why so many, and she said gators can't climb stairs. Started making sense once you sat out there late at night and could hear them ruffling through the brush underneath.
I guess that is the plan in works for the river trail park area, a camp ground. You camp there you could easily walk to the zoo in one direction, or go the other way and end up at the beach. The one park I never did walk out that far too, has nice sledding hills in the winter.