http://jacksonville.com/opinion/columnists/2017-10-03/downtown-column-hemming-park-has-become-no-sit-zone
Totally agree with the writer. I feel like the park is getting worse instead of better. The barricades around the main fountain are unbelievably ugly. A park with no where to sit! It's insane!
Yeah, this was a step backward for the park. It didn't even get the homeless out, they just don't sit where they used to sit.
You'd think they are on a mission to mess everything up....remove benches, cut down trees.... what's the point of having the park then ?
Unfortunately, it appears to be the result of tunnel vision, with a lack of understanding the definition of placemaking. Nevertheless, it's the reverse of one of Alvin Brown's well known quotes. It's a pass through instead of a destination.
Love the use of the term "Placebreaking" in the column.
Couldn't be any more apt.
The real tragedy is how damn close we were getting with Hemming about a year ago.
Community First had committed $250k toward building a permanent stage at Hemming Park. Black Sheep was hard at work on their kiosk. The park was regularly programmed with smaller daily events, like live music, and larger evening events, like Art Walk and Jaxson's Night Market.
Then, in short time, the city negotiated themselves out of the stage, the Black Sheep kiosk is dead, programming has dried up, Art Walk and Night Market are gone, and even surrounding restaurants have closed or relocated.
All this over, what? An inexperience FHOP staff overspending in their first year. An easily fixable problem, considering the very clear signs of progress the park was making under their stewardship (prior to the budget slashing).
But to me, the worst part is seeing the city spend over $100k to reconfigure Hemming Park into a less desirable, comfortable space.
It shouldn't be this hard.
It's not like we're charting unknown territory here. A simple Google search will reveal numerous case studies and best practices used with great success for similar spaces. And I guarantee none of them will suggest actively making the park undesirable for the homeless, as history proves that such tactics only make public spaces less desirable for everyone else as well.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
P.S. I know for a fact that even the people designing these "improvements' to the park think that they aren't the right solution for the problem.
Just my observation, (for better or worse) In my morning walk through the park now there are zero people people there, no homeless, nobody... just an empty park. The homeless folks have moved to different corners, snyder memorial, ed ball building etc. I also feel that the food truck court put a dent in traffic at hemming but that is by no means a scientific observation.
Quote from: KenFSU on October 04, 2017, 02:07:41 PM
Love the use of the term "Placebreaking" in the column.
Couldn't be any more apt.
The real tragedy is how damn close we were getting with Hemming about a year ago.
Community First had committed $250k toward building a permanent stage at Hemming Park. Black Sheep was hard at work on their kiosk. The park was regularly programmed with smaller daily events, like live music, and larger evening events, like Art Walk and Jaxson's Night Market.
Then, in short time, the city negotiated themselves out of the stage, the Black Sheep kiosk is dead, programming has dried up, Art Walk and Night Market are gone, and even surrounding restaurants have closed or relocated.
All this over, what? An inexperience FHOP staff overspending in their first year. An easily fixable problem, considering the very clear signs of progress the park was making under their stewardship (prior to the budget slashing).
But to me, the worst part is seeing the city spend over $100k to reconfigure Hemming Park into a less desirable, comfortable space.
It shouldn't be this hard.
It's not like we're charting unknown territory here. A simple Google search will reveal numerous case studies and best practices used with great success for similar spaces. And I guarantee none of them will suggest actively making the park undesirable for the homeless, as history proves that such tactics only make public spaces less desirable for everyone else as well.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
We were never close with Hemming. FOHP did a lot of good work, but it wasn't sustainable as they mismanaged their budget and had basically no planning for the future. They also gave no indication until the ax was falling that they'd made any mistakes, or learned from them.
The lesson is, we can make a park somewhat better in the short term if we pump unreasonable amounts of money into events and such. We never got to the part where we have any long term plans for improvement.
I've noticed at lunch time that although the streets surrounding the park are busy and the sidewalks are full of people, there are very few people actually in the park. I've seen people that need to get from one side of the park to the other take the surrounding sidewalks even if it means waiting for the crosswalk light to change. I guess old habits (of avoiding the people in the park) die hard.
Quote from: remc86007 on October 04, 2017, 04:27:50 PM
I've noticed at lunch time that although the streets surrounding the park are busy and the sidewalks are full of people, there are very few people actually in the park. I've seen people that need to get from one side of the park to the other take the surrounding sidewalks even if it means waiting for the crosswalk light to change. I guess old habits (of avoiding the people in the park) die hard.
Last Friday I walked up from Enterprise to the Skyway station after dropping off a rental car. There were still homeless people there, just sitting on the ground or other areas rather than in the closed off areas. There were 2 cops and literally no one else who wasn't passing through like me. This despite the fact that there were quite a number of people walking around Downtown and on the Skyway that day.
Beats this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7eDPQx7HgE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7eDPQx7HgE)
^To be fair, that video was clearly shot during a church feeding and is not truly representative. Even the Skyway appears to be closed, meaning it was likely shot on a weekend.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 04, 2017, 01:14:15 PM
Unfortunately, it appears to be the result of tunnel vision, with a lack of understanding the definition of placemaking.
Not wanting to beat a dead horse needlessly but isn't this pretty much the story of the large majority of things in DT Jax and surrounding areas that the city has been involved in over the last what - 40 years ?
Quote^To be fair, that video was clearly shot during a church feeding and is not truly representative. Even the Skyway appears to be closed, meaning it was likely shot on a weekend.
Yes, yes, of course, of course. Not representative at all. An anomaly. Extremely rare circumstances when the video was made. Not like the park at all. The videographer obviously laid in wait for just the right moment to defame the park. Probably paid the interviewees. Youtube should censor this video and revoke the videographer's Youtube account. Can't have this sort of thing. All lies. Very damaging...
Hemming looked good today. It wasn't packed but I thought it was a nice and peaceful environment (not dead.)
Quote from: DTJAXEYE on October 06, 2017, 05:10:47 PM
Quote^To be fair, that video was clearly shot during a church feeding and is not truly representative. Even the Skyway appears to be closed, meaning it was likely shot on a weekend.
Yes, yes, of course, of course. Not representative at all. An anomaly. Extremely rare circumstances when the video was made. Not like the park at all. The videographer obviously laid in wait for just the right moment to defame the park. Probably paid the interviewees. Youtube should censor this video and revoke the videographer's Youtube account. Can't have this sort of thing. All lies. Very damaging...
Lol, the opposite would be making a video about its vibrancy and filming during Artwalk or the Jazz Fest. You could also stop and find people to talk about how great and diverse the space is. In reality, the truth is some where in the middle.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 06, 2017, 09:42:56 PM
Quote from: DTJAXEYE on October 06, 2017, 05:10:47 PM
Quote^To be fair, that video was clearly shot during a church feeding and is not truly representative. Even the Skyway appears to be closed, meaning it was likely shot on a weekend.
Yes, yes, of course, of course. Not representative at all. An anomaly. Extremely rare circumstances when the video was made. Not like the park at all. The videographer obviously laid in wait for just the right moment to defame the park. Probably paid the interviewees. Youtube should censor this video and revoke the videographer's Youtube account. Can't have this sort of thing. All lies. Very damaging...
Lol, the opposite would be making a video about its vibrancy and filming during Artwalk or the Jazz Fest. You could also stop and find people to talk about how great and diverse the space is. In reality, the truth is some where in the middle.
Yes, but those are the "right" sort of people, Lakelander. They're allowed to hang out in Hemming Park.
I've been working downtown about a month now, and I'm a little surprised by how much I like current Hemming Park. I probably come out here for about 30 minutes a day to work. It's clean. Staff and police are always within sight. The landscaping is nice. There's always live or recorded music going. There are always familiies playing in the Kid Zone. The crowd is diverse, but I haven't been approached by a panhandler once. The food trucks are nice. The furniture is clean and movable if the sun is angling your way. Love the Christmas tree.
Sure, the northern half of Hemming is completely wasted, people largely come through it, rather than to it, and there's a TON of opportunity for improvement, but how anyone can't recognize how much the place has improved in the last couple of years is totally beyond me.
Quote from: KenFSU on December 01, 2017, 11:09:32 AM
I've been working downtown about a month now, and I'm a little surprised by how much I like current Hemming Park. I probably come out here for about 30 minutes a day to work. It's clean. Staff and police are always within sight. The landscaping is nice. There's always live or recorded music going. There are always familiies playing in the Kid Zone. The crowd is diverse, but I haven't been approached by a panhandler once. The food trucks are nice. The furniture is clean and movable if the sun is angling your way. Love the Christmas tree.
Sure, the northern half of Hemming is completely wasted, people largely come through it, rather than to it, and there's a TON of opportunity for improvement, but how anyone can't recognize how much the place has improved in the last couple of years is totally beyond me.
I agree 100% - I have brought several co-workers to the park for lunch who had a bad impression of the place going in (based on how it used to be) and they were blown away. While I wish the changes could have been made in less of a "slap on some tape" aspect, I think anyone who denies the effectiveness of the changes on foot traffic is kidding themself
Just popping back in to again reiterate how wonderful Hemming Park's staff is.
I cut through Hemming on my way into the office, and the staff members know me, and remember me, and go out of their way to say good morning.
I sit outside in Hemming to work, and I watch them interact with people, and they're just so damn friendly and welcoming.
I leave work, and they ask how my day was.
Most of all though, you can just tell how much pride they take in their jobs, and the park. I literally saw staff members carefully cleaning single leaves from the walkways.
Lots and lots and lots of untapped potential, but anyone suggesting that current Hemming Park is a black eye for downtown Jacksonville just hasn't been spent time in the park lately.
walked through after lunch yesterday and couldn't agree more Ken- staff is doing a great job and, for folks who want to eat and enjoy the programming, such a more welcoming environment than the chaos of a couple years ago
I think the park is wonderful. I had my food truck there yesterday and the energy was nice.
It felt very vibrant and there was a good amount of people just enjoying themselves.
Quote from: benfranklinbof on December 19, 2017, 12:57:40 PM
I think the park is wonderful. I had my food truck there yesterday and the energy was nice.
It felt very vibrant and there was a good amount of people just enjoying themselves.
Which truck? I'll check you guys out next time!
Murray Hillbilly, we were the vegan and gluten free food truck. We're still new and trying to figure out everything.
when do you think you'll be at hemming park again with the food truck? i like a real good vegan burger just as much as the carnivorous counterpart :) #nomnomnom
it's been a few, but the last couple times i went to hemming, there was just no place to sit! So are they only making it easier to sit like during events or something? I did go to art walk in October. But i was walking with a group that night, sitting not on my mind lol. Some months i go and others i get busy, as i have been in nov&dec
^They have movable furniture.
Looks like they set it up at about 8 AM during the week, and take it down around 5 pm.
We will be there every Monday except on holidays. So our next Hemming Park location will be on January 8th. There is potential for another day, but we are still looking into that.
The outdoor cafe is pretty nice and I enjoyed the live music that was played as well.
QuoteThe outdoor cafe is pretty nice and I enjoyed the live music that was played as well.
Agreed, I loved the cafe.
Hemming Park's is doing better and better, in my opinion. I love spending my free time there strolling around the park.
So we went from the park being horrible to "what a wonderful place" in two months. That is a quick turnaround even for metrojax.
Quote from: civil42806 on December 20, 2017, 05:34:57 AM
So we went from the park being horrible to "what a wonderful place" in two months. That is a quick turnaround even for metrojax.
Broken window theory, FTW.
Also, you don't have to agree with all of the changes to appreciate what a better place it's become.
I feel if anything the park has taken more of a hit from the food truck court then the homeless population. Before the food truck court there where lines in the park and tables where jumping. I definitely felt a slow down even without concentrated homeless activity.
http://jacksonville.com/HistoricHemming
Jacksonville.com has posted some great photos of Hemmings Park over the years. I really like how it looked before they bricked it over in the 70s. Also love the 1910 photo with the old houses next to Snyder church.
Just popping in a couple of months later to again recognize how great of a job this current iteration of FHP is doing with Hemming.
It's 1:45 on a Friday afternoon, and looking down from my office building, I count roughly 150 people in the park.
Families are playing in the kid zone.
The food truck cafe is packed.
An amazing band is playing.
People are dancing.
Vendors are out.
The staff is actively cleaning the park, stopping only to greet visitors and smile.
Two police officers are visible, but non-threatening and friendly.
The crowd mix is great and diverse, both culturally and socioeconomically.
They're killing it.
Also worth pointing out that I've been working next door to Hemming since the end of October, and I've never once been approach in the park by a panhandler. Literally not once.
^ That's great to hear!
The homeless have definitely moved east a block.
Quote from: remc86007 on March 02, 2018, 02:15:57 PM
^ That's great to hear!
The homeless have definitely moved east a block.
Many, but not all.
Those that do come to Hemming are welcomed and treated like anyone else.
The difference between now and a few years back though is that now, expectations for visitor behavior are clearly defined, and consistently enforced.
The same rules (which are posted throughout the park) apply for everyone, and if you break them, you're out.
Re: rules for the park
Yeah, apparently ONLY JSO officers are allowed to ride their bike in the park. I was trying to just shortcut through there the other day on my way to wherever I was going and the security guard stopped me and said I wasn't allowed to ride my bike, i'd have to walk it through. And there was no place to sit if i'd wanted to stop there for a break. I just find it a little strange that it's a park where I cannot just sit down if I want to chill there for a few minutes. C'est La Vie, I suppose ::)
^What time were you there, just out of curiosity? There's tons of movable seating out every day when the park is open, from dawn until dusk. I go out there to work most morning, and I've never had trouble finding seating.
Quote from: jaxrox on March 03, 2018, 06:53:48 PM
Re: rules for the park
Yeah, apparently ONLY JSO officers are allowed to ride their bike in the park. I was trying to just shortcut through there the other day on my way to wherever I was going and the security guard stopped me and said I wasn't allowed to ride my bike, i'd have to walk it through. And there was no place to sit if i'd wanted to stop there for a break. I just find it a little strange that it's a park where I cannot just sit down if I want to chill there for a few minutes. C'est La Vie, I suppose ::)
Quote from: jaxrox on March 03, 2018, 06:53:48 PM
And there was no place to sit if i'd wanted to stop there for a break. I just find it a little strange that it's a park where I cannot just sit down if I want to chill there for a few minutes. C'est La Vie, I suppose ::)
From today.
Classic no-sit zone.
(https://snag.gy/voSW1G.jpg)
(https://snag.gy/sHp8An.jpg)
(https://snag.gy/S2bA6r.jpg)
Are those tables and chairs going to be a standard fixture now? The last few times I've been past Hemming I have not seen those chairs there. I could also see those getting stolen if left there 24/7...
I think they are just there at lunch time, Monday to Friday. Other than those temporary seats, there are no chairs or benches of any sort in the park.
The movable furniture has been there since last year.
It's great because it allows flexibility for whatever is going on at the park.
In the last picture above, for example, they created this sectioned-off area for a bunch of little kids visiting City Hall to play and have lunch.
Seating isn't just there at lunch time, Monday through Friday.
Furniture is set up early each morning at sunrise, broken down at dusk, and locked up for the night in an on-site storage area.
7 days a week.
I came to the office on Saturday night at 6 PM, and there was staff in the park helping kids in the play area.
Well, that's good to hear. I'm always hopeful that resource grown and enjoyed by more people in the city. All problems aside, this city holds a very special place in my heart and I have nothing but high hopes for it going forward into the future. I'll have to take a closer look and have a seat next time I'm in the area!
Quote from: KenFSU on March 03, 2018, 07:08:18 PM
^What time were you there, just out of curiosity? There's tons of movable seating out every day when the park is open, from dawn until dusk. I go out there to work most morning, and I've never had trouble finding seating.
It was later in the afternoon whatever day it was. Definitely past the lunchtime food truck time thing. Not sure if it was a weekday or a weekend. If I go there during lunchtime hours on weekdays when the food trucks are out, yeah, those multicolored tables and chairs are there, i have noticed. They just seem to not be there all the time outside of those hours i guess? I'll try to remember to look to see if the sitting places are set up when I go to art walk in April. I had already planned on doing a night out with the art walk upcoming in April
And if they changed things around and are having the tables and chairs out more often, good, I am glad. My complaint about sometimes not having somewhere to sit when I go to hemming park surely happened to not just me, as I did not start this thread, did I?
When I left work on Friday at around 5pm I walked through the park. All of the folding metal chairs were still there. All the green ones in KenFSU's first pic were not there. They are part of "Charlie's Cafe" and are only there during lunch hours.
I just wish there were some actual benches and that they didn't put that ugly metal railing around the main fountain.
That's why the moveable seats were added and the permanent stuff like the ledges and old seats removed. The moveable seats allows them to better control who hangs out in the park. Not the best solution for social equity but I don't bbelieve that social equity was an actual goal.
While there's somewhere for some people to sit much of the time in Hemming, I can tell you since the removal of the benches and the erection of ugly metal frames around the fountains, there's nowhere for me to sit in Hemming Park, ever.
It's my own issue and I'm not blaming anyone, but for a person "of size," those flimsy little folding chairs in the park are nothing more than an invitation to injury and embarrassment. The park is definitely a no sitting zone for me unless I bring my own chair.