Springfield: What to Watch in 2014

(5) Park improvements



Springfield received fantastic news in late 2013, when the National Park Service awarded a Groundworks USA grant to improve the Hogans Creek park system. The grant will be used to form a new non-profit, hire staff, and coordinate activities and small improvements projects in the parks. If these are successful, there will be opprotunities to win the big dollar federal grants needed to complete the environmental and structural rehab of creek system. This year, we'll see the formation of the new non-profit and their activities begin.

In 2014, we'll also see the first project materialize from the Hogans Creek Master Plan. A pedestrian pathway roughly following Hogans Creek, known as a "green way", should break ground in the next few months. The path will provide a contiguous bike/ped connection between the S-Line, which begins at the northern tip of Springfield, to Downtown Jacksonville and the Riverwalk. In anticipation of the green way, Greenscape recently planted a variety of trees in Klutho Park along the future green way.


(6) Downtown Jacksonville projects



Over the last 2 years, the urgency for revitalizing Downtown Jacksonville has steadily gained momentum. Organic growth is already happening, with businesses, both big and small, moving into Downtown and the Downtown Investment Authority beginning to implement incentive programs. Large redevelopment projects at The Shipyards, The Landing, Laura Street Trio, Haydon Burns Library, Ambassador Hotel, etc have been proposed as well, and all could be the first domino to fall in a slew of major projects. Or, they could stay ideas on paper. Why does all this matter to Springfield?

Downtown and Springfield are connected at the hip, more so than any other areas they border, for better or worse. Much like Riverside & Avondale, Atlantic Beach & Neptune Beach, or San Marco & Miramar, the health of each directly impacts the success of the other.