Residents invited to shape new riverfront park in Brooklyn
Residents had the opportunity to share feedback on how they’d like to see a new Brooklyn riverfront park take shape at an open house event last month.
The City of Jacksonville hosted an open house at the Downtown Public Library on Wednesday, June 17, to seek input on the planned McCoys Creek Outfall Park, located on the Northbank near the new One Riverside development in Brooklyn.
The park will be on the riverfront, adjacent to the Acosta Bridge and partially covered in the rear by the Riverside Avenue overpass.
The City of Jacksonville has partnered with New Orleans-based Scape Landscape Architecture DPC and design engineering firm WSP USA for this project. Scape Landscape Architecture Principal Chris Barnes said this was the first opportunity for the community to provide feedback on what they’d like to see for this new greenspace.
“We’re here to really just talk about the opportunity to introduce people to the site…with a new restored creek outfall and really ask the question, what kinds of programs would you like to see, ranging from active, passive, how would you like the park to feel: more natural or more celebratory of the [area’s] industrial past, or other narratives,” Barnes said.
While it is too early for the public to review any designs, attendees at the open house had the opportunity to review a trio of concept plans detailing scale and programming possibilities for the park.
The Railroad Framework portrays more passive programming with a central lawn and a gathering plaza by the river; the Active Spurs framework presents a recreation area beneath the overpass with a central lawn and nature paths near the river; and the Eco-Spine Framework features more distributed programming throughout the park, along with more native plants and vegetation.
Attendees were also able to share input on the park’s look and feel – ranging from manicured to more naturalistic – and on recreational opportunities, from active – dedicated sports facilities, playgrounds, and outdoor fitness – to passive – walking trails or flex spaces.
Rebecca Vanderbeck of WSP USA said the park emerged from plans to relocate the creek, which previously ran in a culvert beneath the former Florida Times-Union building at this location.
“We really got involved with designing the new channel, and as part of that, we created access points for people along the creek so that people could connect with the water, experience it, and that brought us to tonight’s meeting,” Vanderbeck said. “Now, as the channel construction is wrapping up, the City’s looking ahead to the next phase, which will be the park development…”
Barnes said he anticipates further community involvement as designs progress.
