Urban Parks: St. Johns River Park
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/470024226_GKxhL-M.jpg)
Now known as Friendship Park, the 11 acre St. Johns River Park Marina is one of the most underutilized popular public spaces in Downtown Jacksonville.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/1007
Dallas Thomas Park
Great photos. I hope they will restore the pumps at the center of the fountain soon. :D
I liked the "flying saucer" building adjacent to the marina - it was so, "60s".
Quote from: billy on February 13, 2009, 04:02:07 AM
Dallas Thomas Park
QuoteHistory
Friendship Fountain was originally called the “Fountain of Friendship in Dallas Thomas Park" when it opened in 1965. Its original name coming from the city's parks and finance commissioner. The park was renamed in 1968 after Thomas became involved in a civic scandal. During its heyday, the 200-foot-wide fountain was billed as the world’s largest and tallest, shooting as high as 120 feet, through 63 nozzles, at a rate of 17,000 gallons of water per minute while 252 multi-colored lights created different patterns into the streams.
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/images/friendship_fountain/Fountain1970.jpg)
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/200/68/
Who was involved in design?
Taylor Hardwick?
Edward Durrell Stone?
Great pics and photos! It's interesting though watching the Park, and that entire south side of the river develop over these many years. It's a shame though that the fountain is only a paltry semblance and shadow of what it once was. I hope they fix the pumps or restore/reconstruct or even rebuild the fountain so it reigns once again as one of the great wonders of Florida.
Heights Unknown ;)
Quote from: billy on February 13, 2009, 08:15:16 AM
Who was involved in design?
Taylor Hardwick?
Edward Durrell Stone?
Yes it was Taylor Hardwick. You can still see his firm's is credited prominantly on the stamp in photo #13. I recall he did the job for free, as a favor the city engineer who assisted with the construction of the Hayden burns library. (Both projects when up simultaneously and were funded by the same city bond).
It addition, any fans of Hardwick and/or fans of Jacksonville's nightlife might be interested to learn that the small rectangular building in the lower left of photo 5, is the "Someplace Else Lounge", Jacksonville's first Disco, opened in 1970, designed by T.H. (It's exterior was covered with thin copper paper (so it would glow in the afternoon tropical sun. Inside, the wall that faced the river was a wall of glass. It was filled with girls and had really good food.)
Loved Someplace Else.
"Someplace Else" great name for a club/
Very nice photo set :)