Urban Parks: Waterworks Park

Metro Jacksonville · May 04, 2009, 05:00:00 AM

Urban Parks: Waterworks Park

Today, only remnants remain of a public space that was once home to Jacksonville's largest tourist attraction.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/1066

heights unknown · May 04, 2009, 07:06:26 AM

Anyone know what happened to Waterworks Park? That is, why it was done away with or allowed to just diminish into oblivion? I guess the museum concept died. Wasn't this Park the original home of the "Big Jim" Jacksonville work whistle?

Heights Unknown

zoo · May 04, 2009, 07:23:54 AM

Heights, Big Jim is still there and still whistles at 7a, noon, 1p and 5p.

QuoteJEA Waterworks laboratory, museum and visitors center

JEA fell down on the museum and visitors center, so don't bother trying to find them. Thanks to the events of Sept 11, and the subsequent homeland security measures, this site is now a reservoir and JEA green training facility, with no real public access. It should be noted homeland security is the reason for the fence, not lack of safety in the area. There is a building that needs to come down near the creek (and possibly more than one). JEA is upgrading the reservoir that is on the Laura St side, and making some improvements to the Main St reservoir also.

It is very unlikely the "park" will ever even give the impression of welcome, and hopefully when the Creek/park system is master planned, designers can figure out how to minimize its Fort Knox-like interruption of the Confederate to MacPherson parkway. It should also be noted that at one time, the site had a radio station and miniature golf course on it...

thelakelander · May 04, 2009, 08:57:13 AM

Quote from: zoo on May 04, 2009, 07:23:54 AM
Heights, Big Jim is still there and still whistles at 7a, noon, 1p and 5p.

QuoteJEA Waterworks laboratory, museum and visitors center

JEA fell down on the museum and visitors center, so don't bother trying to find them. Thanks to the events of Sept 11, and the subsequent homeland security measures, this site is now a reservoir and JEA green training facility, with no real public access.

Any idea of why JEA decided not to go forward with the museum and visitor's center? That was something proposed a year or two after Sept. 11. What is that replica building being used for now?

Here is an image of the golf course that was once in Waterworks Park.

This little building can be seen in the middle of the golf course aerial above.

Deuce · May 04, 2009, 11:02:58 AM

If someone wants, I could ask Bruce Dugan whatever happened to this.

thelakelander · May 04, 2009, 11:24:08 AM

Quote from: Deuce on May 04, 2009, 11:02:58 AM
If someone wants, I could ask Bruce Dugan whatever happened to this.

Yes, go ahead and ask Bruce. That was a project that abruptly disappeared even though construction had moved forward. Also check to see what their future plans are for that space and site.

stjr · May 05, 2009, 12:54:10 AM

Found another view below, apparently pre-WJAX since no antennas:

And here are some more:

thelakelander · May 05, 2009, 12:59:40 AM

Nice find!

stjr · May 05, 2009, 01:04:33 AM

Who knows where Dignan Park is?

thelakelander · May 05, 2009, 01:17:46 AM

That's Confederate Park. Dignan was renamed after the Confederate reunion held in the space in 1914.

stjr · May 05, 2009, 01:20:51 AM

Thanks, Lake. Now I realize its just another angle on the card I posted above it labeled Confederate Park.

Here is another of Springfield with a log cabin!

stjr · May 05, 2009, 01:23:57 AM

3rd Street, Springfield:

stjr · May 05, 2009, 01:29:08 AM

stjr · May 05, 2009, 02:31:06 AM

stjr · May 05, 2009, 02:58:57 AM

November 26, 1925: WJAX, the radio station owned by the City of Jacksonville, went on the air with its first broadcast. (from http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:S913Fm35O38J:www.flahistory.net/November.htm+wjax+radio+history&cd=37&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us )

Aside from WRUF-AM 850 in Gainesville, in 1928, the only other Florida radio stations on the air were WDAE-AM 1250 Tampa, WJAX-AM 930 Jacksonville, WQAM-AM 560 Miami and WDBO-AM 580 Orlando. Other than these four Florida radio stations, the next nearest radio station was WSB-AM 750 ("Welcome South Brother"), Atlanta, the 50,000 watt clear channel powerhouse of the Southeast. (from http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:jcOGWiCpxfEJ:www.cflradio.net/850_WRUF_AM.htm+wjax+radio+history&cd=38&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us )

1975 WJAX-FM control room: (from: http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:oAyM8dUrb4MJ:home.earthlink.net/~zrail/radiondx.htm+wjax+radio+history&cd=44&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us )