by erin thursby & jon bosworth
Parks are more than just places with park benches. Here in Jacksonville, parks foster community; they reflect who we are and what we love to do. Some parks, like Walter Jones Historical Park in Mandarin or Klutho Park in Springfield, give us a look back at times gone by, with the ruins of ancient mansions on the St. Johns or historic ballasts along Hogan’s Creek. While others, such as Metropolitan Park, feature state-of-the-art facilities that provide plenty of free public entertainment.
“Enhancing neighborhood parks is critical to ensuring a strong quality of life for all Jacksonville’s citizens. A key goal of the City of Jacksonville is to build a ‘showcase’ park system - one that serves as a model for cities throughout the nation. Many local parks are receiving improvements such as new park benches, water fountains and better landscaping, while water playgrounds, nature trails, picnic pavilions and playscapes are being added throughout the county. However, there is more work to be done. Every resident in Jacksonville should have a safe and accessible park in their neighborhood, and The Better Jacksonville Plan includes $15 million to improve parks throughout the county.” –According to the Better Jacksonville plan website (betterjax.com)
So is the city living up to this plan? Well whether the promises made by Delaney were kept by Peyton is something for people to argue about. On one hand, we have a lot of great parks that are looking better than ever and are actually being used (Kid’s Kampus) while the new director that we wooed from Atlanta, John Culbreth, has recently been given his walking papers. Regardless of the political problems that surround the public’s need for public places and the public monies that those things cost, there is plenty out there to do. Hence the title for the Jacksonville Parks, Recreation, Entertainment, & Conservation’s May event: Get Out There! We’ll give you some local favorites, but almost every neighborhood has its own.
Dan Blanchard, the parks committee chair for SPAR, has seen improvement and cooperation in Springfield reflected in the park improvements.
“When I first got involved in parks…it was general things that hadn’t been done in a long time…like getting graffiti taken care of, and now it’s more about trying to help…facilitate what others are doing. The Springfield Animal Care & Rescue club is working on bringing a dog park into Confederate Park… I’ve been working with [them] trying to help any way that I can, if I need to make a phone call. It’s really their project, so I don’t want to take any credit for it, but I am proud that we’ve been working as a community,” says Blanchard.
Park improvements often involve the entire community and more than one group will work to improve the parks or hold events. A perfect example of that, says Blanchard, is the rose arbor that recently went into Confederate Park
“The first leg of it was under a grant that SPAR applied for…but a bunch of women from the Women’s Club actually came in and got the work done under the SPAR grant…The Women’s Club also got their own grant and did a second stretch on their own.”
Different groups, along with the park system itself, work to fill Jacksonville’s needs and desires. Consequently, there seems to be a park or a park program for nearly everybody. From golf courses to horseback riding, there is a public park that your tax dollars pays for so that you can enjoy yourself in your own idiom.
Whether your interest is birds or bikes, snakes or hikes, Jacksonville’s large network of parks will have something for you. They’ve also got quite a few free summertime programs at assorted parks in the area. Here’s a listing of just a few through the month of July to get you started (but you can find a far more comprehensive guide at coj.net):
Saturday, June 23 & July 21st 500 Wonderwood Drive, 8-10 pm
All Stargazers and would-be astronomers are invited to join the members of Northeast Florida Astronomical Society (NEFAS) and their telescopes for an exploration of the night sky. If skies are cloudy, please call NEFAS message line at (904) 858-3347 to see if the program is cancelled.
Wednesday, July 4, Downtown Jacksonville and Metropolitan Park.
Jacksonville’s birthday blowout for the ol’ U. S. of A. features the annual Independence Day Parade downtown and a free concert by a national recording artist at Metropolitan Park. The day ends with Skyblast, a huge and spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display over the St. Johns River. For more info, call 630-3690, email events@coj.net or visit coj.net.
Wednesday, July 4th @ 4pm, Klutho Park Baseball field.
The Eastside Reds face-off against the Westside Giants in a vintage baseball game. All of the players will be dressed in baseball togs that are made in the same material and style as those that players wore from about 1910-1920.
Friday, July 6 @ 9-10 am Tillie K Fowler Regional Park Nature Center
7000 Roosevelt Boulevard
Gather with your community for a morning cup of coffee or tea and cookies while looking out large picture windows at the birds and butterflies visiting the birdfeeders and beautiful gardens. Beverages are provided. For more information, please call 630-CITY
Thursday, July 19 Drew Park
Who was Joseph Lee? Only the father of the American playground! On this day our city’s children gather to celebrate him, play games, and participate in talent shows and crafting. The event is free and open to the public. For more info, call 630-4100.
Monday, July 23rd @ 10-11 am & 2-3 pm Castaway Island Preserve
2885 San Pablo Road S.
Gain a better understanding of the lifestyles and habitat needs of these Northeast Florida reptiles. Living and non-living specimens will be examined. This program is for all ages. For more information, please call 630-CITY.
Tuesday, July 24 @ 9-11 a.m. Camp Milton Historic Preserve
1175 Halsema Road N.
Bring your bicycle for a leisurely bike hike along the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail-Trail. Meet in the parking lot of Camp Milton Historic Preserve. Dress for the weather, use insect repellent and bring water. ALL riders 16 years of age and younger MUST wear helmets. For more information, please call 630-CITY.
Tuesday, July 24 @ 1:30-2:30 pm Camp Milton Historic Preserve
1175 Halsema Road N.
Walk through one of Jacksonville’s newest preservation parks. Dress appropriately for the weather, wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes, use insect repellent and bring water and binoculars if you have them. This program is for all ages. For more information, please call 630-CITY.
Wednesday, July 25 @ 10-11 am Sal Taylor Creek Preserve
5873 Nathan Hale Road
Seek out the season’s wonderful wildflowers at this timberland site. Dress appropriately for the weather, wear comfortable closed-toe shoes and use insect repellent. This program is not appropriate for small children. Please be aware that there are NO restrooms, picnic tables nor running water at this location. For more information, please call 630-CITY.
Wednesday, July 25 @ 3-4 pm Castaway Island Preserve
2885 San Pablo Road S.
This program is for ages 7 and under and their adult companions; it combines literacy with science facts. Enjoy reading a story and then examine the science involved. For more information, please call 630-CITY
It may not seem like it when your air-conditioner is battling the July sun in traffic, but the truth is that the weather is pretty nice these days. Maybe not in a car or on a sidewalk, but on the back of a bicycle or under the shade of some trees, parks can be a great way to remember how pleasant the summer can be. While there’s more than one park where you can take in the beauty of nature, kayak or bike, there are a few Jacksonville parks which cater to very specific hobbies.
3700 Park Street; 384-8687
Riverside has a lot of nice parks, but Boone Park is the one that stretches from its fenced-in playground area on Park Street to the “Nanny Park” on St. John’s Avenue. It has big open fields for dogs to run in, paved jogging trails, and some of the best tennis courts in town. The clay courts aren’t free, but there are several courts and a practice wall that are free.
2885 San Pablo Road South
Featuring picnic areas and standard conveniences, the thing that makes Castaway Island standout is their canoe and kayak launch ramp. There are a number of parks that provide canoe and kayak amenities, including Hanna, Sisters Creek, Fort George Island, Ringhaver, and many more, but Castaway Island is on the Intracoastal, making it more central for many residents.
13531 Lake Newman Drive and 13611 Normandy Boulevard
It’s not nearby for anyone that doesn’t live deep into the westside, but the Cecil Recreation Complex has a little of everything that most parks lack – indoor stuff. A fitness center, basketball gymnasium, and indoor pool and even an equestrian center for horseback riding. It’s all free! This place is so new that they even have rock concerts there!
3620 Bedford Road
What would Jacksonville do without a skate park? While many of the nature-oriented parks seem deserted, that’s not the case at this skateboarder’s haven. From kids no older than eight to the occasional 30-year old enthusiast, there’s a whole range of ages busily performing ollies and kickflips. The skateboarder’s area is about 10,000 square feet with rails, boxes and ramps. Though skating is the main event at this park, it also has two playscapes, a multi-use athletic field, a one-quarter mile boardwalk winding through more than 3 ½ acres of wetlands, and a covered pavilion with three picnic tables and two grills.
11751 McCormick Road
This 144-acre site was formerly the Dunes Golf course. Now this Arlington park is the city’s top disc golf course. Also known as the “Fore Palms Disc Golf Club,” the 18-hole layout includes open and tree-lined fairways to challenge all levels of players. Learn the game or enter a tournament. The park also includes lighted baseball fields, soccer fields, walking trail, a community center operated by the Police Athletic League, playground equipment and picnic areas.
500 Wonderwood Drive
Although the beaches at Hanna are spectacular, another reason that Hanna is known all over the city is for terrific camping (tents or cabins) and some of the best trail biking in the Jacksonville area. They have more than fifteen miles of bike trails including “Long Trail” and “Back 40” for novices and “Grunt,” “Misery,” and “Tornado Alley” for experienced trail bikers.
3461 Lannie Road
For a little radio-controlled fun, get yourself to Lannie Road. Most Saturdays, if the weather is nice, you can find a number of kids and adults flying radio-control model airplanes. The site is home to the Gateway Radio Control Club, but anyone can come to the park. Although radio-controlled planes and ‘copters dominate, some people bring radio-controlled model cars as well. The park has a covered pavilion with picnic tables and work benches, taxi-ways, runway, and a clubhouse. In order to fly a model, they ask that you have Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) insurance coverage or its equivalent.
1600 Riverside Avenue
Although not a park loaded with amenities, this beautiful neighborhood park is right on the St. Johns River. It is a great place for a romantic stroll, a game of soccer or a picnic. There is a small playground area, and some people fish from here. There are often community events held in Memorial Park that range from music festivals to art shows.
1410 Gator Boulevard.; Phone 630-5437
Not only does the city host live events such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and the Jazz Festival here on a state-of-the-art stage, but it also has Kids Kampus, easily one of the best kid’s parks in the area. Kids Kampus has a miniature model of downtown and your children can borrow tricycles that they ride through their very own mini-Jacksonville. There is also a water park. It doesn’t have any pools, so swimming is not a necessary skill, it is simply a playing park where kids can run around under sprays of water in swimming suits. From small turtles that trickle water for your little squirts to a pirate ship and jungle gym with water cannons and showers, this rubber-turfed play area is great fun and closely supervised by “lifeguards.”
2149 Leonid Road
There’s bike riding and then there’s BMX bike riding. Ray Greene Park is devoted to the latter. It’s a great practice area for those dedicated to the sport and it’s also a track where regular meets and races are held. Go to jaxbmx.org for more info on the various events. If you want to get into the sport, JAX BMX can give you the training you need. The track is open seven days a week, but on Tuesday and Friday nights it’s open only to JAX BMX members. The park also includes five ball fields, two tennis courts, and picnic facilities.
(Formerly Westside Regional Park) 7000 Roosevelt Boulevard
One of Jacksonville’s largest parks, Tillie K. Fowler has a nature center, a bunch of biking and hiking trails, and an elevated platform that allows you to see the wetlands that seperate NAS Jacksonville from residential areas on the Westside. There is a brick road that was built in the early 1900s and tons of nature. See bald eagles from the platform or owls in the evening. They even have a butterfly garden.
1471 Elmar Road-Northside
11808 Faval Drive-Downtown
5372 Park Street-Westside
6709 Watoma Street-Westside
7641 Powers Avenue-Southside
6527 Merrill Road-Arlington
3939 Grant Road-Southside
3740 Burnett Park Road-Mandarin
1728 Lindsey Road-Westside
3500 Rondette Lake Road-Arlington
6200 Old Middleburg Road-Westside
801 18th Ave. N.-Northside
6629 Ft. Caroline Road-Arlington
10632 Old Kings Road-Northside
949 Hubbard Street-Springfield
7220 Esther Street-Westside
1199 West Church Street-LaVilla
11101 U. S. Hwy 1-Northside
2150 Lane Avenue-Westside
1187 Murray Drive-Murray Hill
2260 Spring Park Road-St. Nicholas
5000 Greenway Drive-Ortega
5869 105th Street-Westside
4208 Kingsbury Street-Murray Hill
1010 Acorn Street-Northside
5900 West Tampico Road-Westside
9827 Jupiter Court North-Southside
3352 Soutel Drive-Northside
1660 West 13th Street-Northside
4511 Portsmouth-Northside
8410 McKenna Drive-Northside
12157 Heckscher Drive-Northside
2885 San Pablo Road South-Intercoastal
5434 San Juan Avenue-Westside
2001 Dutton Drive-Atlantic Beach
4555 Ortega Farms Boulevard-Westside
6359 Heckscher Drive-Northside
5198 118th Street-Westside
Terminus of Hood Landing Drive-Southside
Terminus of County Dock Road-Southside
14780 Mandarin Road-Mandarin
12157 Heckscher Drive-Northside
With 34 different public pools to choose from in Jacksonville, there’s bound to be one in your area. Some people don’t realize that many of the pool facilities at various public schools become public pools during the summer months. See below for a listing of all the public pools in Jacksonville.
A nationally-recognized learn-to-swim program, called Gus and Goldie, celebrates the 12th year it’s been offered by the Department of Parks, Recreation, Entertainment and Conservation. Children in this program are taught to swim with the added element of water safety. For the kids who have already mastered their front crawl and breast stroke, sign them up for the recreational swim team, offered at selected neighborhood pools. Boys and girls ages 5 - 14 are eligible to participate. Competitions include a district swim meet and a city-wide competition. For more information on kid’s programs please contact the Aquatics Office at 745-9630.
Not everyone who learns to swim is a toddler in water wings. Many adults still need to learn the skill, and they don’t have to take a kiddie class to do it. This series of swim lessons is available for Jacksonvillians 18-years and older and offers a safe and comfortable environment for all ability levels. It is only $40 per two-week session and you can register anytime between now and June 29th. Sessions run from 7 to 7:45 p.m. during the week at the Charles Clark Center and Sherwood Pool ( 8739 Sibbald Road 768-6422), Ed White High School (1700 Old Middleburg Road, 783-4958), and Wolfson High School (7000 Powers Avenue 448-6894).
2115 Dean Road, 724-8218
128 W. 30th Street, 630-0281
345 Chestnut Street, 266-2478
4012 University Boulevard. N., 744-3494
13611-A Normandy Boulevard., 573-8994
8739 Sibbald Road, 768-6422
4515 Moncrief Road, 768-1330
1700 Old Middleburg Road, 783-4958
1093 Sixth Street, 630-0829
4412 Barnes Road, 448-6895
900 Acorn Street, 630-0322
700 Seagate Avenue, 247-6327
5530 Firestone Road, 573-2485
4131 Ferber Road, 744-5612
2740 Division Street, 630-0282
15597 Harts Road, 693-4396
10913 Pine Estates Road, 751-1533
1358 Jefferson Street 630-0994
1139 Ionia Street, 630-0939
2519 Bayview Road, 387-1772
1200 S. McDuff Avenue, 387-6959
3133 Lenox Avenue, 388-2639
4831 Greenland Road, 292-1541
12215 Sago Avenue W., 757-8704
7301 Parker School Road, 723-6144
3239 West Fifth Street, 783-0377
2335 Gattis Lane, 398-0591
3663 Raines Avenue, 765-0920
5820 Van Gundy Street, 766-5319
2750 John Prom Boulevard, 642-5900
390 N. Jackson Avenue, 783-2540
7000 Powers Avenue, 448-6894
8200 Kona Avenue, 724-6169
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