ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County is moving forward with a $123 million investment in county parks. That money will help five new regional parks and community centers.
Work on all five parks should wrap up by the end of 2026. That includes building a park near Shearwater. Some individuals who live in the area said the plan would benefit them. Currently, the nearest location available for them to engage in basketball or other sports is nearly 10 miles distant.
The five parks will provide spaces for residents to engage in various recreational activities such as walking, jogging, cycling, picnicking, playing sports, and enjoying nature. These activities promote physical fitness, mental well-being, and social interaction among community members.
Below is a blueprint of the Northeast Community Park.
The park would feature fields for baseball and softball, basketball courts, and a community center for library use and the supervisor of elections.
Below is a blueprint of the Central Sports Complex.
The Central Sports Complex would cost around $42 million. There would be five multipurpose fields, including turf fields.
Below is a blueprint of the Central Community Park.
The Central Community Park would have indoor spaces for recreational programs, as well as a library, splash pad and playground.
Below is a blueprint of the Northwest Community Park.
The park, located near the Rivertown community, will have baseball and softball fields, and courts for pickleball and volleyball. There will also be an area for a library.
Below is a blueprint of the upgrades that will be made at Davis Park.
The county also plans to overhaul the fields at Davis Park. Families who go there will also welcome new parking areas.
During a meeting on Tuesday, several individuals who live in the county expressed support for this plan. Commissioners said this was a plan they started investing in during the pandemic.
“We do not have basketball courts in Shearwater and our cited if we have a basketball hoop in our driveway,” Anna Ryan, a St. Augustine resident, said. “For the sake of the children, youth and adults who want to play basketball at our neighborhood, please consider supporting these four parks.”
President of the Creeks Athletic Association, Chuck Forcier, said the area is in dire need of an upgrade.
“We are at a position now where we are starting to turn children away,” Forcier said. “Just because we do not have the field capacity. The other thing we are starting to do is adjust to short and practice times. We are starting to put two teams on a field during practice instead of one team. It is really sad that we have to do this because the kids today don’t have the opportunity that my kids had back five or 10 years ago.”
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