New Park in Riverside

[thelakelander]

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- There's more green to stroll through on the First Coast.

Mayor John Peyton cut the ribbon to the new Northbank Riverwalk Park in Riverside.

The city worked a land swap deal with Fidelity National to get the land for the park.

Fidelity took care of the landscaping.  The company also built a public parking area nearby.

The mayor calls the new park a step towards a downtown revival.

"Well our Riverwalk is one of the greatest amenities we have in our urban core," said Mayor Peyton.  "This river is what distinguishes our city and our ability to celebrate and enjoy it with parks like this and riverwalks like this make all the difference.  So I think we're going to see more and more people migrating back to the urban core over time."

Crews planted some of the trees in the park on Valentine's Day.  As a result, the trees are arranged in the shape of a heart.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=109162

[Jason]

I think that area is called Brooklyn.

[David]

Yea get it straight, buddy!

Just playing, I didn't know Brooklyn existed until a few years ago.

So, I take it the official boundary of Brooklyn is I-95 at park street to the west, and the railroad tracks to the east and 95 again to the north. ::searches metjax archives::

[Jason]

Its bound by McCoy's Creek, I-95, and the river.

[Jason]

[tufsu1]

there is also some work going on w/ the Riverwalk under I-95...I think this is being set-up as a farmers market and ampitheater space...anyone know more?

[thelakelander]

I believe this is the same land swap that will result in the ultimately demolition of the historic fire station next door.

New Northbank park is a great addition for public

By RON LITTLEPAGE, The Times-Union

We're getting there, slowly, but we're getting there.

The St. Johns River is clearly our greatest asset, and it has been a good week for public access to the river.

The Northbank Riverwalk shines, especially when the weather is beautiful as it has been the last several days.

But it hasn't been easy for many people to get to the Riverwalk because of a lack of clearly identified parking spaces for Riverwalk visitors.

That changed for the better Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting for a new 1.3-acre park that adjoins the Riverwalk by the Fidelity National campus.

The new park is beautifully landscaped and includes 28 parking spaces open to the public.

The entrance to the park is beside the fire station at Forest Street and Riverside Avenue.

The park grew out of a land swap between the city and Fidelity in 2005.

"This is a classic example of a good corporate citizen working with the city for a better park system," Mayor John Peyton said during the park opening ceremony.

Ron Barton, head of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, added that the new park "is a great place to reflect and enjoy our river."

And, Barton said, more is on the way.

The artists' mall being built under the Fuller Warren Bridge next to Fidelity should be completed this summer. Additional parking spaces for the Riverwalk will be included.

And, eventually, the Riverwalk will be extended through the Shipyards project to Metropolitan Park. Another goal is to extend the Riverwalk in the other direction to Memorial Park.

Barton said the next step is to begin adding a variety of experiences along the Riverwalk that will attract more people to downtown.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/051608/opl_279451907.shtml