Kids Kampus Vanishes

[hightowerlover]

that looked like a white trash backyard right on the river.  those cheap plastic "houses" fade in the sun within a few years.  it was a huge waste of money.  but hey at least now we have unpaved riverfront parking

[Keith-N-Jax]

IMO  glad its gone. I am not against a kiddie park, just not on the river front.

[peestandingup]

I think a lot of you guys are missing the point. Something was there, now there's nothing. And it cost millions extra to make it into nothing.

The Kids Kampus may very well have been kinda crappy (I never got the chance to go & I didn't even know it existed until last year), but it doesn't sound like it was anything major that couldn't have been fixed relatively easily.

[Bativac]

I think a lot of you guys are missing the point. Something was there, now there's nothing. And it cost millions extra to make it into nothing.

The Kids Kampus may very well have been kinda crappy (I never got the chance to go & I didn't even know it existed until last year), but it doesn't sound like it was anything major that couldn't have been fixed relatively easily.

You're forgetting the Jacksonville mindset: "I don't like it, tear it down"

Applies to old buildings, houses, waterfront playgrounds, etc.

The other Jacksonville mantra: "Surface parking is better than everything."

[Gravity]

what a shame...

[justinthered]

is this the ultimate plan for the park?  The concept art makes it look like they're planning on doing a lot more. Or did those plans get axed?

[RiversideLoki]

IMHO, there were aspects of the Kids Kampus that looked like they were not very well-designed.  Overall, the idea of a family friendly park should have been a winner for Metropolitan Park.  I believe, however, that the park was not promoted as much as it should have been and there was a perception (Thanks to the fences, now gone) that Metropolitan Park was not as open to the public as it should be...

Indeed, I took my daughters there countless times. Went to many birthday parties hosted there. It always seemed to be busy on weekends and was definitely an attraction in the summer with the water feature. But it was hardly ever advertised. I'll miss it, but I'm not heart broken over it. There's still a neat water feature for kids to splash in at the park in Murray Hill off of Kingsbury.

[Tacachale]

is this the ultimate plan for the park?  The concept art makes it look like they're planning on doing a lot more. Or did those plans get axed?

They are planning on doing more, including improving the river access. Let's hope they stick with it and don't just stop where they are.

[Ocklawaha]

is this the ultimate plan for the park?  The concept art makes it look like they're planning on doing a lot more. Or did those plans get axed?

They are planning on doing more, including improving the river access. Let's hope they stick with it and don't just stop where they are.

Oh it will be a lot better, I even read that it will be fully integrated, they're going to mix Bermuda and Zoysia!  How thrilling is that going to be? I bet kids from all across the region show up with their parents to see the MILLION DOLLAR GRASS.

OCKLAWAHA

[jcjohnpaint]

tear it down for more money than we put it up/ better have nothing than something/ great to have a public place where there is nobody around/ maybe it will evolve into a star parking lot one day!

[Noone]

They are planning on doing more, including improving the river access. Let's hope they stick with it and don't just stop where they are.

What are they planning? Improving the river access? How so? The meetings that I've attended will restrict Public Access and economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River. Please, What is the positive news that we will be sharing with our Regional Partners?

Tacahale, Would you like to paddle Hogans Creek? We'll Make it Happen.

[thelakelander]

I prefer they don't spend another penny on this space until a new DDA is created and DT project priorities are established. In my mind, all DT project money should be invested within a compact setting for a period of time. Clustering complementing uses within a compact pedestrian friendly setting is the best way achieve vibrancy. Metropolitan Park is too isolated from the Northbank core to have a significant impact on DT revitalization.

[north miami]

I am so glad I did not "grow up" in a world of the likes of Kid Campus(screw the K)..........there I would be........transfixed on The River......young fingers grasping those damn fence bars.........Jail.
This is the image so many of us in the boat and water recreation world recite when ascending on the adjacent property as predictably as the tide.
Glancing over towards the Shipyards,Noone Point/Pier, more mutterings........why this in the face of Potential?......

I am impressed that the intrusion has been removed, Peyton Administration initiative.........no matter how quiet.

What we have now is a clean slate.

This quiet move likely screams future intent.

[Tacachale]

They are planning on doing more, including improving the river access. Let's hope they stick with it and don't just stop where they are.

What are they planning? Improving the river access? How so? The meetings that I've attended will restrict Public Access and economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River. Please, What is the positive news that we will be sharing with our Regional Partners?

Tacahale, Would you like to paddle Hogans Creek? We'll Make it Happen.

I don't know what they're planning exactly and I can't find it online, but when the city council approved this "improvement" to the Kids Kampus area, the things that were brought up specifically were increasing the green space and improving the river access. I'm not saying this was a smart move; my only point is, whatever they're planning, I hope they actually follow through with it, rather than just leaving it a big empty space forever.

And yes, I'd love to go kayaking sometime.

Lake, I disagree that Met Park could never have a significant impact on downtown. If the amphitheater project from back in the day hadn't been thwarted by myopic fools, it would have helped close the city's general gap in mid-sized and mid-large music venues, and if done right it would have had an enormous influence on the acts who would have played here. But I agree that anything less than a modern amphitheater project probably isn't worth spending a lot of money on when there are other more pressing issues.

[Tacachale]

What we have now is a clean slate.

This quiet move likely screams future intent.

Or yet more big plans that never materialize.