We are sad to announce that Nassau County has been experiencing a lot of vandalism at its ballparks, playgrounds, beach front parks, boat ramps and other public facilities. These damages are not only costly to the taxpayers, they also disrupt the normal flow of operations as staff is pulled from their regular duties and/or scheduled projects to immediately make repairs to ensure continued safety of residents and guests. Sometimes the damages are so bad that they require facilities to be closed while repairs are made, leading to cancelled practices and games and preventing families from enjoying their time in our parks.

We've experienced profanity spray painted on walls, sinks and soap dispensers ripped off walls, donuts/tire tracks on multi-purpose fields, broken playground equipment, rails ripped off boardwalks, and many other costly damages that ruin the aesthetics of our parks and make them unsafe for users.
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At this time, we would like to ask our residents to be vigilant and to notify us of any concerns related to potential vandalism. If you see suspicious behavior, please report it right away to Nassau County Parks & Recreation at (904) 530-6120 or by calling the non-emergency line at the Sheriff's Office at (904) 225-5174, particularly if it's after hours (after 5pm or on weekends). Residents are reminded to not approach suspected vandals directly for safety purposes but are encouraged to get a description of any suspicious person(s) or vehicles and report this information right away.

Thank you in advance for helping us keep Nassau County's parks and facilities safe and clean.

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

4/4/25 @ 1:00 p.m.

​On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Nassau County Parks & Recreation hosted an Open House to share with the community the conceptual plan for the Blackrock Cove Park. The approximately 20-acre park located at the intersection of Blackrock Road and Heron Isles Parkway is being built through a developer agreement with Wood Development Company which requires the developer to donate land and provide associated surveys, earthwork, land clearing, irrigation and drainage. The developer is also required to provide a multi-use field and parking lot. Once completed, the County will accept the property and incorporated it into the County's Parks & Recreation Department for use by the the community.

During the Open House, Parks & Recreation Director Jay Robertson spoke briefly about the project and future plans for the park.  Carlos Perez of Perez Planning also gave remarks on the overall process of how the conceptual plan was constructed and how it ties into the foundational pieces of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan. 

As seen in the below conceptual plan, the long-term goal for the park is multi-use trails, exercise stations, a fenced dog park, pickleball courts, playground, gymnasium, pavilions and more. Amenities anticipated for Phase One are outlined in black however the design could vary slightly depending on costs identified during the engineering phase which is currently underway. Amenities not outlined in black are proposed amenities for future phases and will be dependent on available funding. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Parks & Recreation Director Jay Robertson at (904) 530-6120 or via e-mail at [email protected]. 
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4/4/25 @ 11:00 a.m.

Join us for a FREE, family friendly gathering featuring beach and nature-themed activities, food & beverage, music and fun, and Vision 2050 Updates. Now celebrating at two beach locations!

MAIN BEACH
32 N. Fletcher Avenue, Fernandina Beach
10am-7pm
*featuring Wild Amelia Nature Festival

PETERS POINT
4600 Peters Point Road, Fernandina Beach
10am-4pm

Stay tuned for additional details.

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-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

3/27/25 @ 11:45 a.m. -

Just a friendly reminder that Nassau County Parks & Recreation is hosting an open house tonight at 5:30 p.m. regarding the conceptual plan for Blackrock Cove Park. The approximately 20-acre park is being built through a developer agreement with Wood Development Company which requires the developer to donate land and provide land clearing, surveys, earthwork, irrigation, and drainage. The developer is also required to provide a multi-purpose field and a parking lot. Once completed, the County will accept the property and incorporate it into the County's Parks & Recreation Department for use by the community. The County will continue to develop the park in future phases. Come by tonight and see what the County's future plans are for completing the park.

The event will take place at Blackrock Cove Park (across from Crews Creek Avenue).

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is working to construct a network of multi-use trails on Amelia Island to improve mobility and provide safe and efficient pedestrian and bicycle traffic along Amelia Island Parkway. In 2011, the BOCC constructed a trail from the southend of Amelia Island to Peters Point Beachfront Park. Then in 2019, the BOCC completed a segment from Crane Island to the Simmons Road Beach Access (known as The Amelia River to Sea Trail). 

More recently, the BOCC added a four-phase project to the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan that would connect the existing two trails, creating a continuous 12-mile trail from the southend of Amelia Island to South 8th Street. This four phase initiative began with Segment 1 which consisted of a new section of path from South Fletcher Avenue to Via Del Rey. Completed in May 2024, this addition has quickly become a popular off-road trail for local riders on Amelia Island. Segment 1 was mostly funded through Local Agency Plan (LAP) Grant Funding from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) which provided the County with $998,607. (County funded portion was $88,971) 

On February 24, 2025, the BOCC awarded Bid No. NC24-024 to CGC, Inc. in the amount of $2.7 million, for construction of Segment 3 connecting South 14th Street to Bailey Road, and Segment 4, connecting Bailey Road to South 8th Street. Additionally, on Monday, March 10, 2025, the BOCC awarded Bid No. NC24-003 to CGC, Inc. for construction of Segment 2 connecting Via Del Rey to 14th Street. Funding for Segments 2 - 4 are also being funded 100% by Federal funding administered through FDOT's LAP Program grant funds totaling just over $6 million. 

Mike Pikula, President of the Friends of the Amelia Island Trail, Inc., stated, "This trail will be a much-welcomed addition to the island's off-road trail system and will provide another safe walking, running and cycling venue for our residents and guests. When completed, it will be the culmination of a multi-year coordinated effort by the Board of County Commissioners, County staff, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), professional designers, builders and involved residents. Thank you to all who have supported trails on Amelia Island."

The Board of County Commissioners is grateful to the Friends of the Amelia Island Trail for their wonderful partnership in developing trails on Amelia Island and for leveraging their tools to assist the County in securing federal funds through the TPO and FDOT.

The BOCC looks forward to celebrating with the Friends of the Amelia Island Trail and members of the community upon completion of the final three segments. For more information about Amelia Island's Trails, please visit www.ameliaislandtrail.org. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

3/18/25 @ 5:00 p.m. - Join us for an Open House on Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. for an Open House. Speak with Parks & Recreation Staff and hear a conceptual design overview of the future Blackrock Cove Park from Designer Carlos Perez (Perez Planning) and Project Engineer Hannah Miracle (Kimley-Horn). 

The event will take place at Blackrock Cove Park (on Blackrock Road, across from Crews Creek Road). 

Questions? Call (904) 530-6127 or email [email protected]. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

2/19/25 @ 10:45 a.m. - On Saturday, February 15, 2025, approximately 200 residents joined Nassau County Parks & Recreation for the 2nd Annual Seniors Night Out. This year's theme was a Valentines Party and featured games, a photo booth, a DJ, dancing and dinner from Callahan Barbeque. 

Congratulations to residents Brian and Becky Hardy for winning our Newlywed Game. Married for 30+ years, they were able to successfully predict each other's answers, earning a one-night stay to Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island, donated graciously by the hotel. Congratulations to our door prize winners too! We hope you all had a great time and will join us again next year. 

Last but not least, congratulations to Nassau County Parks & Recreation on another successful event. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer 

2/10/25 @ 12:00 p.m. 

Please be advised that the outdoor basketball court at the Yulee Sports Complex will be closed temporarily for repairs which includes pressure washing, filling cracks and repainting. The estimated completion day is around February 19th. Residents are asked to stay off the court until further notice. If you have any questions, please contact Parks & Recreation at (904) 530-6120.

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

1/10/25 @ 11:00 a.m. - On Thursday, January 9, 2025, the County held a pre-construction meeting for Phase One of the Westside Regional Park (WSRP). This meeting included staff from our Parks & Recreation Department, Development Services, Fire Rescue and Capital Projects Management, along with the contractor, McCall Construction Management, and their subcontractors who will be assisting with various aspects of the project. Together, the group discussed everything related to site work including placement of sidewalks, utilities, fire hydrants, and landscaping. They also discussed the terms of the contract including main points of contact, the construction timeline and safety plans. 

This 107-acre park 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.

The County is now ready to move forward with construction of Phase One which will include multi-use trails, multi-purpose fields, a dog park, large playground, stocked fishing pond, an airnasium, and an ampitheatre. The bid for construction was awarded to McCall Construction Management on December 18, 2024 and will be funded from a combination of sources including impact fees, grants and County funds. A Notice to Proceed was issued on January 9, 2025 and construction will officially kick-off on January 20, 2025. The anticipated completion date is currently April 30, 2026. 

​We look forward to celebrating with the community at a grand opening event upon completion in the late spring/early summer of 2026. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer