3/31/22 @ 9:40 a.m.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites Florida residents and visitors to go freshwater fishing April 2 - April 3, 2022 during license-free freshwater fishing days.

License-free freshwater fishing days provide an excellent opportunity for individuals to try fishing without needing to purchase a license first. During these two days, the fishing license requirement is waived for recreational anglers, including residents and non-residents. All other rules related to seasons, bag and size limits still apply. Click here to learn more.

For additional information on fresh water fishing, visit the FWC Freshwater Fishing Webpage.

If you have any questions, contact Michelle Kerr of the FWC at (850) 510-4776 or via e-mail at Michelle.Kerr@MyFWC.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

3/29/22 @ 9:15 a.m. - On Monday, March 28, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners hosted a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Westside Regional Park. This 107 acre property will serve as a regional destination delivering recreation, leisure, social interaction, and educational opportunities for the entire spectrum of the public. It's overall conceptual plan and features were derived from community input which revealed that residents want a variety of recreational facilities and programs that include more than youth athletics. The data collected was used to create a conceptual plan which was shared with the public at a community meeting in March 2021 and formally adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in May 2021.

Yesterday's event began with a welcome message by Vice-Chairman, Jeff Gray. He stated, "The County purchased this property with the dream of providing regional recreation opportunities for Nassau County residents. This park will be unlike anything Nassau County has ever seen and will serve the residents for many years to come".

District Four County Commissioner, Thomas Ford, also spoke, stating, "This park will feature basic amenities such as pavilions, picnic tables and playgrounds. However, it will also feature unique amenities such as walking trails, a managed forest, a recreational fishing pond, outdoor fitness and exercise opportunities, green/event space, multi-use and tournament fields, and the County's first ampitheatre". He further added, "No matter where you live in Nassau County, you will now be able to experience a first-class park with a short drive".

Other speakers at the event included Parks & Recreation Director, Jay Robertson, and Shawn Bliss with Prosser, Inc., the engineering firm overseeing construction of the project. Both shared information about the wonderful recreational opportunities the park will bring to the area, as well as their excitement to be involved in the efforts to bring these amenities to our residents. District Five Commissioner, Klynt Farmer, also spoke briefly, stating that, "I'm excited to see that we're going to bring something to the west side of the County that will benefit many, many generations".

Following the presentations, the Commissioners participated in the ceremonial "breaking of the ground".

We appreciate everyone that came out yesterday to celebrate with us. For those that were unable to attend, the presentation was recorded and can be found on our YouTube Channel (see link below).

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

Following the

3/22/22 @ 8:45 a.m. - Next week, the Board of County Commissioners will host a Groundbreaking Ceremony in celebration of the upcoming construction of Phase One of the Westside Regional Park.

The overall conceptual plan for the park was devised from community input collected from a series of citizen surveys and public outreach event which concluded that residents want a variety of recreational facilities and programs that include far more than youth athletics.  The conceptual plan was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on May 24, 2021.

Phase One of the park will feature a variety of amenities including pavilions throughout the park, outdoor event/green space, community playground with shade, restrooms, multi-use trails, a fishing pond and multi-purpose fields. This vibrant park will serve as a regional destination delivering recreation, leisure, social interaction, and educational opportunities for the entire spectrum of the public.

Please join us on Monday, March 28, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at the site’s entrance which is located just off U.S. 1, across from Mizell Tract Road, Hilliard, FL. (click here for site map)

If you have any questions, please contact Parks & Recreation Director, Jay Robertson, by phone at (904) 530-6127 or via email at jrobertson@nassaucountyfl.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

3/3/22 @ 8:30 a.m. - Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a Proclamation designating March as Florida Bicycle Month. And March is the perfect time to ride because of the wonderful weather!

You don't have to be a avid cyclist to enjoy its health benefits which include greater cardiovascular fitness, increased muscle strength and flexibility, improved joint mobility, decreased stress levels, improved coordination, and more. Bike riding is also good for the environment because it reduces road congestion, noise pollution and smog. So dust off your bikes and start riding!

Looking for a new trail or route? Visit the Friends of the Amelia Island Trail website at www.AmeliaIslandTrail.org where you can find lots of great maps highlighting trails in our area.

Looking for new friends to bike with? The Amelia Island Cycling Group hosts organized rides 6 days each week on or near Amelia Island. Visit their website at www.AmeliaIslandCycling.com to view the schedule.

Lastly, visit the North Florida Bicycle Club's website at www.NFBC.us for more information about cycling in our region.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

2/2/22 @ 1:00 p.m. - At the Wednesday, January 19, 2022 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners approved a new Memorial Bench Program. This program provides Nassau County residents with a way to honor their loved ones and/or individuals who have made an impact on the community. The programs also enhances quality of life by providing additional seating in our parks.

Memorial benches are available for the Bryceville Ballpark, Callahan Ballpark, Goffinsville Park, Hilliard Ballpark, Peters Point Beachfront Park, Wilson Neck Boatramp and the Yulee Sports Complex. The bench that will be used is a recycled plastic, six-foot, portable plank bench with back and a three leg base. The seat and back will be a cedar color with black legs and black engraving. (see sample below)

Attached is the approved Memorial Bench Program Policy containing full details including information about the cost, as well as information about the installation and maintenance of the bench. Any individual wishing to purchase a bench should contact the Parks & Recreation Department at (904) 530-6120 to discuss availability.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

12/19/21 @ 2:00 p.m.

Approximately 225 people attended our first Breakfast With Santa event yesterday, including some of Nassau County's cutest kids!

Everyone lined up with excitement as Santa arrived on the fire truck. They then took turn writing him letters, taking pictures with him and then eating pancakes and sausage. At the end. Santa handed off gifts to the children. It was a great day!

A big thank you to the County employees and the volunteers. We couldn't have done without everyone's help.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

12/16/21 @ 11:15 a.m. - Nassau County Parks and Recreation’s first Breakfast with Santa event will take place this Saturday, December 18, 2021, in the outdoor courtyard directly behind the Callahan Multi-Use Facility located at 543350 US 1, Callahan FL 32011 from 9am – 11am.

This family friendly event will be highlighted by free pancake breakfast from 9am – 10am (while supplies last). Also during that time frame, children can write a letter to Santa and present it to the big man himself at a picture meet and greet. There will also be an optional gift exchange with Santa beginning at 10:15am. If your child wishes to participate, bring one wrapped gift per child. (Boys should bring a boy gift and girls should bring a girl gift) Santa will then hand out a different boy/girl gift to them during the exchange.
 
Nassau County’s Toys for Tots program will be using another part of the complex, so there will be signage guiding you to the proper parking locations. Please view the below map for a quick guide to the event/parking layout. We look forward to seeing many of you at the event on Saturday.

If you have any questions, please contact Parks & Rec Director, Jay Robertson, at (904) 530-6120 or via e-mail at jrobertson@nassaucountyfl.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

12/8/21 @ 3:35 p.m. - Nassau County Engineering Services hosted an Open House on Monday, December 6th to share information about the Amelia Island Parkway Trail, a four-phase project totaling 3.2 miles in length from S. Fletcher Avenue to 8th Street.

About 25 residents were in attendance to hear the discussion which included information about the overall trail which will connect to the existing trail network on the island and eventually extend off-island.

County Engineer, Robert Companion, also shared information about Phase One which will span from S. Fletcher Avenue to Via Del Ray. This phase is anticipated to being in the summer of 2022. Funding is being provided by the Florida Department of Transportation through a Local Agency Program Agreement.

Residents in attendance seemed very pleased with the information that was presented, particularly when they learned that no trees or root systems will be impacted from this phase of the project. The goal is to also ensure that future phases also minimize or eliminate tree impacts wherever possible.

If you have any questions, please contact Engineering Services at (904) 530-6225.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

UPDATED ON 12/10/21 AT 4:30  P.M.
The plumbing issue has been resolved and the restrooms at Peters Point are now fully functional. Public Works personnel will be back on site next week to re-pour sidewalks and apply hydroseed. If you have any questions, please contact Facilities Maintenance at (904) 530-6120.

12/7/21 @ 2:30 p.m. - Please be advised that the restrooms at Peters Point are temporarily out of service. There is a clog to the main sewer line and the County has been working diligently all day to repair it. It is unknown at this time how long they will be out, however we will make an announcement as soon as the repair is complete. Two port-a-potties are being placed on site temporarily to serve the public in meantime. If you have any questions, please contact Facilities Maintenance at (904) 530-6120.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

11/29/21 @ 11:30 a.m. - We trust that everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday! Now that Thanksgiving has passed, we are ready to focus on our upcoming "Breakfast With Santa". We will have additional announcements in the coming weeks, however we wanted to take this opportunity to remind our residents about this exciting new event being brought to you by Nassau County Parks & Recreation.

As previously indicated, the event will take place on Saturday, December 18th from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. and will feature a free pancake breakfast and pictures with Santa. Children wishing to participate in the gift exchange should bring one wrapped gift.

WHAT: Breakfast With Santa
WHEN: Saturday, December 18, 2021 from 9am-11am
WHERE: Callahan Multi-Use Facility, 543350 US Highway 1, Callahan, FL 32011

If you have any questions, please contact Parks & Recreation Director, Jay Robertson, at (904) 530-6120 or via email at jrobertson@nassaucountyfl.com. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer