Crowdfunded Parks Are Coming and That Isn’t a Bad Thing

[thelakelander]

Could crowdfunded parks work for Jacksonville?

In the last four years, more than 30 new businesses have opened on Broad Avenue in the Binghamton section of Memphis. After years of decline, the wide, storefront-lined avenue is finally rebounding as the spine of a new arts district.

Ask locals what drove the change and invariably, they will mention the Hampline, a bike lane connecting Broad to some of the city's most popular neighborhoods and amenities. The Hampline is being built largely with federal, state and city grants, but when a $75,000 budget hole cropped up in 2013, community leaders decided not to wait for more grant dollars from Washington and instead, turn to a new source of funding: the crowd.

Full article: http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/in-public-crowdfunding-parks

[Jtetlak]

The real story here is not that we should be crowd funding parks. The real story is that a vibrant park system can encourage economic growth, revitalized an area, and that local residents can come together to make it happen. Jacksonville's parks, river, and tributaries should be the cornerstone of our identity. We should be showcasing our natural resources in a way that promotes a more interconnected, biker and pedestrian friendly city. Supporting the efforts of groups like the North Florida Land Trust and helping during clean up efforts spearheaded by the St Johns Riverkeepr are great places to start.

[mtraininjax]

Look no further than the Riverside dog park. Councilman Love tried to get the state to kick in $123,000 in funding and the Governor vetoed it and so RAP has had to rely on local funding sources, including the Weavers, to assist in the building and creation of the park.