The urban core's largest historic public parks

[jaxlongtimer]

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-urban-cores-largest-historic-public-parks/



I note that the last of your 5 largest parks listed was created in 1929, 93 years ago!  This doesn't say much for Jacksonville's updating of urban park planning.

When you remove the Timucuan park complex, what is our park space per capita for Duval County?*  This is what should really be the measure as Timucuan is largely preservation of wetlands, mostly federal and state managed and little utilized by locals due to its remoteness. 

In Duval's 800 plus square miles, how many readily accessible parks are larger than these?  How many parks give direct access to the St. Johns River (not its tributaries)?  Would be interesting to see an entire listing by size of all CITY parks (exclusive of federal and state parks).

From prior press, Jax does not compare favorably to other cities.  See our 90th of 100 cities rating here, for example:  https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2017/05/24/report-ranks-jacksonville-s-parks-90th-nation-out-100-biggest-cities/15756475007/

*I also know that at one time, if not currently, the City included many school playgrounds as part of their park acreage.  Is this a standard used nationally?  If not, another example of misleading our status.

[acme54321]

JaxParks loves to talk up how they are one of the biggest parks systems in the country.  It's a joke though because a bunch of it is out in the boonies with limited facilities and the entire system is poorly maintained and poorly managed.

[Ken_FSU]

"Jacksonville is home to the largest urban park system in the nation.

How does Jax define "urban park system"?

Anyone's who's traveled to places like DC, New York, Chicago or the Twin Cities knows how silly this claim seems.

And if we're including preserve land, I think Alaska would be the winner by a considerable margin.

[thelakelander]

^Basically everything inside the city limits. The same as the other cities that don't have as much land area. I'm not sure how much park space is counted in Anchorage, AL though.

[marcuscnelson]

I note that the last of your 5 largest parks listed was created in 1929, 93 years ago!  This doesn't say much for Jacksonville's updating of urban park planning.

This doesn't necessarily seem surprising. Much of the urban core was developed by the 30s, so there wouldn't be much reason to build additional large parks within that. Although now, with things like the Emerald Trail and the condition of a lot of land surrounding things like Hogan's Creek there is definitely space to expand those parks, plus the opportunity to improve access to them and up their maintenance.

*I also know that at one time, if not currently, the City included many school playgrounds as part of their park acreage.  Is this a standard used nationally?  If not, another example of misleading our status.

I hope not, that would be pretty strange, unless the Parks Dept is the one maintaining those playgrounds or they're at least accessible to the public after school hours, neither of which I imagine is true.

[Charles Hunter]

The City's JaxParks page that lists "All Parks" includes some DCPS recreational areas, but not all.
https://www.coj.net/departments/parks-and-recreation/recreation-and-community-programming/all-parks

[Florida Power And Light]

I am aware of many that have moved from Jax for places with more accessible " Parks". Truly well conceived Bike Trails.

Shucks..... look at the Nocatee Bike Trail.....

[vicupstate]

Conservation land is counted as 'parks' in JAX because it is inside the city limits. Conservation areas in most places are outside of the corporate limits of the primary city in the Metro area, so therefore NOT counted in the park acreage.

Funding for parks in JAX is VERY low compared with comparable cities, which explains to woefully inadequate maintenance in most of them.

To his credit, Peyton tried to remedy this situation, but backed off pretty quickly once he got pushback from city council members.  Parks are little fiefdoms of the councilman in who's district it resides.  They didn't want to give up control, so the status quo was keep.  You know, the 'Jacksonville Way'.     

[Florida Power And Light]

Conservation land is counted as 'parks' in JAX because it is inside the city limits. Conservation areas in most places are outside of the corporate limits of the primary city in the Metro area, so therefore NOT counted in the park acreage.

Funding for parks in JAX is VERY low compared with comparable cities, which explains to woefully inadequate maintenance in most of them.

To his credit, Peyton tried to remedy this situation, but backed off pretty quickly once he got pushback from city council members.  Parks are little fiefdoms of the councilman in who's district it resides.  They didn't want to give up control, so the status quo was keep.  You know, the 'Jacksonville Way'.   

Jax Chamber should quote vicupstste exactly

Deliver what is sold