Memorial Park Association Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE, ENHANCE AND PROMOTE MEMORIAL PARK AS THE PREMIER HISTORIC CITY PARK IN JACKSONVILLE.

MEMORIAL PARK ASSOCIATION, INC. IS A 501(C)(3) FLORIDA NONPROFIT ENTITY DEDICATED TO THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF MEMORIAL PARK IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. THE ASSOCIATION WAS CREATED IN 1986 BY A GROUP OF PARK ENTHUSIASTS AND LOCAL PHILANTHROPISTS CONCERNED WITH MEMORIAL PARK'S PERSISTENT STATE OF DECLINE AND DISREPAIR, JUST A YEAR AFTER MEMORIAL PARK WAS INCLUDED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AS PART OF THE RIVERSIDE (NOW RIVERSIDE-AVONDALE) NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT. MEMORIAL PARK IS LOCATED AT 1620 RIVERSIDE AVENUE NEAR THE 5 POINTS AREA OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA AND IS ONE OF JACKSONVILLE'S BEST LOVED TREASURES. LOCATED ALONG THE BANKS OF THE MAJESTIC ST. JOHNS RIVER, THIS SIX-ACRE PARK DRAWS VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COMMUNITY. SOON AFTER ITS FORMATION, THE ASSOCIATION ENTERED AN ADOPT-A-PARK AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, WHICH ENABLES IT TO PERFORM VARIOUS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING NECESSARY PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS, CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORICAL CHARACTER OF THE PARK AND CONCURRENT WITH THE CITY'S OBLIGATION TO MAINTAIN MEMORIAL PARK FOR THE GREATER PUBLIC GOOD. IN 1988, THE ASSOCIATION COMMISSIONED ITS FIRST RESTORATION PLANS FOR THE PARK. IN 1992, A PROJECT TO RESTORE THE ICONIC MEMORIAL SCULPTURE SPIRITUALIZED LIFE WAS INITIATED, THE FIRST SINCE THE SCULPTURE'S INSTALLATION IN 1924. OTHER RESTORATIONS FOLLOWED IN 2004 AND 2019. SINCE THEN, THE ASSOCIATION FACILITATED AND FUNDED NUMEROUS PROJECTS TO FURTHER PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE PARK, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF ORNAMENTAL METAL FENCING AROUND THE PERIMETER, UPGRADES TO THE IRRIGATION AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS, THE PLANTING OF OAKS AND OTHER NATIVE VEGETATION, THE RENOVATION OF THE ENTRANCE PIERS, PLAZA, BALUSTRADES, AND FOUNTAIN BASIN, CLEANUP OF THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANE IRMA IN 2017, AND THE DEDICATION OF MARBLE BENCHES TO HONOR IMPORTANT FRIENDS OF MEMORIAL PARK. OF PARTICULAR NOTE IS THE 2010 INSTALLATION OF TWO LARGE SCALE BRONZE EAGLES CREATED BY ARTIST DIANE LAFOND INSETTA TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL CONCRETE EAGLES THAT HAD BEEN DAMAGED AND DESTROYED. TYPICALLY, THE ASSOCIATION ALSO ORGANIZES AND HOSTS NUMEROUS SPEAKERS, MUSICAL EVENTS, AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK. AFTER A PAUSE BECAUSE OF COVID 19, THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE RESUMED. 2022 ACTIVITIES INCLUDED A MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT FEATURING NAVY BANDS, A DINNER AND LECTURE BY HISTORIAN AND FILMMAKER LAURENCE COTTON IN RECOGNITION OF THE 200TH BIRTHDAY OF FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED'S BIRTH, ORGANIZED ENTERTAINMENT DURING THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S LUMINARIA NIGHT, AND REGULAR YOGA IN THE PARK SESSIONS.

IN 2012, MEMORIAL PARK ASSOCIATION INITIATED MAJOR PLANNING EFFORTS TO RESTORE AND REHABILITATE MEMORIAL PARK TO ITS ORIGINAL GRANDEUR. WITH THE AID OF ATLANTA-BASED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT DAVID SACKS (RLA), THE ASSOCIATION DEVELOPED A MASTER PLAN AND CORRESPONDING $1.5 MILLION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO USE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS RESTORATION PROJECT. MR. SACKS UNDERTOOK PAINSTAKING RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK, SKETCHES AND PLANS OF HARDSCAPE AND PLANTINGS, AND CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN NINAH CUMMER AND THE OLMSTED BROTHERS. TO DATE, THE ASSOCIATION HAS INVESTED OVER $936,000 IN THE REHABILITATION OF PLANTED BEDS AND RESTORATION OF ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES IN THE PARK. DURING 2022, THE ESPLANADE AND AREA SURROUNDING THE LIFE SCULPTURE WERE COMPLETELY RENOVATED AND RESTORED. ALSO DURING THE YEAR, THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE COMPLETED ITS PROJECT TO REPLACE THE BALUSTRADE ALONG THE ST. JOHNS RIVER THAT WAS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE IRMA.