Urban Parks: Exchange Club Island

[Noone]

I've been raised here since my birth almost 40 years ago. My father and family have been shrimpers/fishers/crabbers my entire life. I have watched every island that we have be developed (mostly for profit). I hope someone will keep this island from being too "developed"!

Growing up with a shrimper as a father I spent every summer morning helping dad rig up his boat and everyday we drug the bottom of the St Johns River hoping we were in the right spot. Hoping we'd catch enough shrimp to have enough money to pay for the gas we used and enough for dinner. If not, we had shrimp for dinner. We had shrimp for dinner quite alot!

Everyday, around lunch time, he would take me to Exchange Island and drop me off with my lunch and a bucket. I'd eat my lunch as I walked the outer banks of the island while he continued to drag. I used the bucket to pick up all kinds of things that washed up on the shore....a lot of golf balls and other balls, lighters, cans, teddy bears, clothes, purses, shoes, etc. I even found a matching pair of converse high tops that I gave to my cousin. There were animals that didn't bother me and I didn't bother them. We coexisted without no concern to the other. My days spent on the St Johns River changed my life! Without those hard working days and the variety of lessons learned on the water I wouldn't be the hard working woman that I am today!!!

We need to keep this island as RAW as we can!! No development at all! I have watched as almost every island we camped on or hunted on be turned into another subdivision! Have you seen this island when we have an NFL game? It's the most beautiful scene of the bridge and downtown with this uninhabited gem underneath....who has that? We are very lucky and we need to make sure it is protected! Too many "GEMS" are gone or in the process of disappearing.

mlnowlin, I'm sorry I missed your one and only post almost a year ago. The Aug. 24 Board meeting of Downtown Vision was a Redman NO Show with an out of town presentation on a Downtown Waterways issue.

The Aug. 31 Waterways subcommittee of FIND with Don Redman Dist.4 who is the chair of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission and his aide Scott Wilson can move legislation.  The 2 1/2 hour meeting will result in MAMMOTH, sweeping, announcements. Absolutely HUGE. Look for 2011-560 to be in Waterways 9/14

[north miami]

Hand launch vessels,Downtown Waterway matrix enabling spontaneous,inexpensive,accessible participation will elevate and confirm the rightful place for Exchange Island.

Nature based light recreation boating destination.

Visit Jacksonville!

Visit Exchange Island!

Participate