Free after 5PM? Public Spaces That Allow The Public after Office Hours

[cityimrov]

$0 to spend.  It's past 5PM. 

What can Jacksonville offer that's free and relaxing after 5? 

European Example: Visiting the local piazza, sit next to the fountains, and chat with the locals.

[David]

Weather permitting: River Rd in San Marco. Memorial Park.

[PAndrews]

good topic, thanks for posting.. i made an account here because of this thread.

[cityimrov]

The Patio in front of Starbucks in Five Points.
The sidewalk in front of Birdies in Five Points.
the internal streets of the "Town Center" mall on south side.  Specifically near maggiano's.

Is it alright to "loiter" at those places?  I remember seeing no loitering signs everywhere at a lot of different shopping facilities. 

The UNF Campus

Parking cost money at UNF so a $0 budget won't work. 

Weather permitting: River Rd in San Marco. Memorial Park.

Are those places open at sunset?  I remember seeing a large sign says nobody is allowed during sunset at many different parks around Jacksonville.  What happens when the shorter winter days come along?

Is the art of doing nothing in particular legal in this city? 

[thelakelander]

$0 to spend.  It's past 5PM. 

What can Jacksonville offer that's free and relaxing after 5? 

European Example: Visiting the local piazza, sit next to the fountains, and chat with the locals.

What you're hitting on is the thing that makes a vibrant city a special place that attracts people of all ages, cultures, and demographics.  Places that come to my mind include the Northbank Riverwalk, the Landing's Courtyard, Memorial Park, and strolls through Five Points, Park & King, Shoppes of Avondale, and San Marco Square.  Across the ditch, you have the beach itself, Oceanwalk at Jax Beach, Jax Beach's First Street and Town Center (Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach).  Just outside county lines, there's downtown St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach's Centre Street.

[simms3]

This is where a truly grand park or five would come in handy.  In Europe it's the squares and parks.  In America it's definitely the parks.  That's where Americans hang for free after work.  The Riverwalk would be the only place that comes  to mind for me...I'm not going to go to some commercial district to stroll at 6:00 pm after work.  I might put on running clothes and go for a jog on the riverwalk or the beach, or I might just sit on a bench with a book for 30 minutes and halfway watch the people/seagulls as I read in peace for a few minutes out of the day.

Really, though, it's nice to have a good place for drinks after work within walking distance of both work and home, but at least near work.

[Dog Walker]

Memorial Park is open until 10PM and there is usually a nice breeze coming off the river.

[thelakelander]

This is where a truly grand park or five would come in handy.  In Europe it's the squares and parks.  In America it's definitely the parks.  That's where Americans hang for free after work.  The Riverwalk would be the only place that comes  to mind for me...

There are a ton of spaces that can easily reclaimed. Hemming, Hogans Creek parks, the green space in front of the courthouse, and various downtown plazas come to mind. However, the activity in them will be driven by the land uses surrounding them.

[simms3]

^^^The activity will also have to do with how well kept up they are.  The best parks in my area (and there are many great ones) see consistent activity due to surrounding uses, but they also receive a ton of activity from events and from people driving or using public transit in to be there.  Overall I don't think there are "many" parks (I feel like I can name just about all of them), but the ones we do have are all really well kept up and really nice with well above average public support and hefty private support for each (private support to the tune of nearly $100MM in the past decade or so for the park near me alone).

For instance, some of the parks have Spring, Summer and Fall movie nights FREE for the public (Piedmont Park, "Central Park" in Atlantic Station, 5th Street Bridge park over the interstate, Centennial Olympic Park, Chastain Park).  The park down the street from me had a food truck rally yesterday.  GO has sports leagues that are usually expensed by companies that desire to set up a team and these leagues are year round (everything from Kickball, which I do, to Softball to Cornholes).  There are so many leagues that many parks host games and it's easy to walk to a game straight from work and then catch a drink at a parkside bar afterward.

It's these QOL things that are as free as can be really that Jacksonville is missing (makes it an unattractive place for young people who have grown accustomed to these options everywhere else).

[Seihaku]

One of the few things I actually liked about Tallahassee when I lived there was Tom Brown Park. That place was an excellent collection of free things to do. We have similar in Jacksonville but nowhere near to the same extent.

[Traveller]

Honorable mention for the Main Library courtyard.  Open till 8:00 most evenings.  Easy to find a book to read there, too.

Though not a "public space" per se, the Cummer is free on Tuesdays.  Open till 9:00.

[If_I_Loved_you]

One of the few things I actually liked about Tallahassee when I lived there was Tom Brown Park. That place was an excellent collection of free things to do. We have similar in Jacksonville but nowhere near to the same extent.

You know I can now say Thank God I live in Jacksonville because the thought of living in Tallahassee makes my skin crawl? I have been too Tallahassee for FSU Football games and to drive around it towards the Gulf. But I find Tallahassee a boring city.

[Seihaku]

Yes, if you aren't getting drunk with co-eds or jumping into sinkholes, Tallahassee is boring as hell.