Council committee concerned with ‘escalated’ cost of Jacksonville’s riverfront parks

Jacksonville, Fla. — As the discussion around Downtown Jacksonville development largely centers around parks, the costs of the signature Northbank park projects have increased.

“We felt like the cost had escalated quite a bit. We wanted to take a look at it,” Council Member Ron Salem, the Finance Committee chair, said. “We want great parks, but at the same time — we want to make sure we’re being prudent with our dollars and make sure they’re being used effectively.”

The Finance Committee voted unanimously against about $200 million for the redevelopment of three riverfront parks in Mayor Donna Deegan’s proposed budget.

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The funding was for Riverfront Plaza, Metropolitan Park, and Shipyards West. But the cuts made during the most recent Finance Committee budget hearing aren’t final.

Members from the Downtown Investment Authority, Parks Department, and Public Works will present the full scope of the projects including costs and timelines to council members in finance on Wednesday.

Salem told Action News Jax’s Robert Grant he hopes to add money back into the budget for parks but wants a better understanding of what’s led to the increased costs.

“I think every great downtown has great parks,” he said. “At the same time, we have to look at our budgets and future budgets and make sure we can afford them.”

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In a statement to Action News Jax, the City of Jacksonville said:

“Riverfront parks are one of the transformational projects that will create the ignition point for downtown Jacksonville to take off. It was the spark that made Tampa’s downtown ignite, and it will do the same for Jacksonville.

These plans have incorporated feedback from dozens of public meetings on what citizens would like to see in the parks. We look forward to further collaboration with the Finance Committee and City Council on delivering the proposed improvements on time and at budget. We all want the downtown park system to be a world-class destination space.”

The Council will make its final vote on the budget on September 27th.

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