Bordering the St. Johns River, this boardwalk is usually filled with joggers, tourists, folks sitting on benches, and lovers walking hand-in-hand, all of them watching the riverboats, the shorebirds, and downtown’s skyline reflected in the water. Here you can also find the water taxi dock near Chart House available for kayak launch.
About the Southbank Riverwalk Extension:
Approximately 1,900 feet of new riverfront bulkhead; a top of bank extension of the Southbank Riverwalk (approximately 1,900 linear feet); approximately 1,255 linear feet of new boardwalk; approximately 1,650 linear feet of new overland trail; parks with approximately 820 linear feet of river frontage and related amenities; a new water taxi stop; extensions of existing roadways and new roadways with enhanced sidewalks, enhanced landscaping, bike-lanes and on-street parking; and other facilities
Walk along the Northbank Riverwalk for an amazing view of the St. John’s River. Many city events take place here including the Light Boat Parade, New Year’s Eye Fireworks and many races.
The Northbank Riverwalk is undergoing repairs including: bulkhead repairs, wayfinding signage and the addition of a performing arts activation node.
The Durkeeville Historical Society and city of Jacksonville collaborated to dedicate the birth site of Jacksonville’s Johnson brothers as the “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” Park. The park is named after the song written by John Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson in the late 1800s, which the NAACP calls the “Black National Anthem.”
As part of the development strategy for LaVilla, the current Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park will be expanded and redesigned to celebrate the Johnson Brothers’ contributions to our nation. The park will invite people from all walks of life to honor these important Jacksonville natives. Designed by renowned landscape architect Walter Hood, the park includes a lifted lawn, a performance stage and a restored shotgun house placed on the parcel of the historic Johnson House. The park will be linked to 15 other historic neighborhoods and Downtown via the Emerald Trail.
Currently under construction, the park is expected to open this summer.
In Spring 2019, Jacksonville City Council approved Groundwork Jacksonville’s Emerald Trail Master Plan to create a 30-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails that will connect Downtown to 14 historic neighborhoods, 18 schools, two colleges and nearly 30 parks.
Phase one is a 1.3-mile “Model Project” to connect the existing S-Line Rail Trail in Springfield to the McCoys Creek Greenway and Park Street. The Emerald Trail network is estimated to cost $31 million, plus land acquisition, and take 10 years to complete.
Brooklyn Park is located at the intersection of Jackson Street and Spruce Street in the Brooklyn neighborhood. It is directly across the street from the new Lofts at Brooklyn and adjacent to McCoys Creek. Brooklyn Park improvements will be included as part of the McCoys Creek Greenway project. Future improvements to the park, in tandem with the McCoys Creek restoration, include a kayak launch, pedestrian bridge, trails, and general park amenities. Currently, the park includes amenities such as a basketball court, a baseball field, benches, lighting and trash barrels.
