3/9/23 @ 4:20 p.m. 

80'S MOVIE NIGHT CANCELLED

We regret to announce that this event is being cancelled due to anticipated inclement weather. While the upcoming time change prevents us from having a double feature event this summer, Nassau County Parks & Recreation is planning a summer movie series so please stay tuned for details.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

2/21/23 @ 4:45 p.m.

Nassau County Parks and Recreation would like to invite you to travel back in time for an 80’s Night Double Feature Movie Event on Friday, March 10th at Peters Point Beachfront Park (located at 4600 Peters Point Road). 

The event will open at 6:00 p.m. There will be an 80’s Movie Costume Contest at 6:30 p.m. with prizes for 1st – 3rd place. Sign ups are not necessary for the costume contest. 

Then, there will be a showing of “The Goonies” beginning at 7:00 p.m., followed by a showing of “Dirty Dancing” beginning at 9:00 p.m.

Either relax in your vehicle and listen through a select FM station or bring a chair/blanket and enjoy not one, but two 80’s classics.

​There is no fee to attend the movie event, however there will be food available to purchase at the event.

We hope to see you there! 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Public Information Officer

/16/23 @ 3:00 p.m. 

Nassau County Parks & Recreation is planning an 80's Movie Night complete with a movie costume contest and food trucks for Friday, March 10th. Right now, we need your help determining what movies will be shown in our double feature. 

Below is a link to a survey. Options are: 

• Dirty Dancing
• Footloose
• Goonies
• Raiders of the Lost Ark 
• Stand By Me
• Top Gun

Please vote for your favorite and the two movies with the most votes will be the winners! Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, February 19th. 

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SSJ2R22

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

2/16/23 @ 10:00 a.m. 

​We regret to announce that the North End (Dee Dee Bartels) Boat Ramp is temporarily closed. It was discovered yesterday that a piling on the southern floating dock and gangway is broken and in need of repair. A contractor has already been mobilized and is hopeful that the repairs will be done before the weekend.

As many frequent users of the North End Boat Ramp know, the northern floating dock and gangway were damaged during Hurricane Nicole. At the Monday, February 13, 2023 Board of County Commissioners meeting, a contract was awarded to Coker Industrial Contractors, Inc., to remove the floating dock and gangway from the water for repair. It is anticipated that the repairs to the northern dock and gangway will be complete within the next 60 days.
We apologize for any inconvenience this closure may cause, however we are working to have the boat ramp re-opened as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience. Should you have any questions, please contact our Facilities Department at (904) 530-6120.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

2/15/23 @ 1:30 p.m. - The water and sewer conversion project at Amerian Beach is underway. Work has now progressed to the intersection of Lewis Street and Gregg Street. The work in this area will require the adjacent drive-on beach access to be closed temporarily beginning at 2:00 p.m. today. It is anticipated that this closure will last through Friday, February 17, 2023.

A notice of temporary road closure for Gregg Street was sent out earlier this week. As a reminder, American Beach residents will be allowed to pass as needed, however the general public is encouraged to avoid the area. The temporary road closure for Gregg Street is anticipated to last through March 10, 2023.
We appreciate your patience as we work to establish water and sewer services for the American Beach community. If you have any questions, please contact the County Manager’s Office at (904) 530-6010.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

1/27/23 @ 8:40 a.m. - The Master Plan for Tributary Regional Park (formerly known as Three Rivers) includes a boardwalk, platform, floating dock, and a canoe/kayak launch in Phase Two. We are excited to report that Nassau County Parks & Recreation applied for a Florida Recreation Development Assistance  (FRDAP) grant to assist with costs for engineering and design and was subsequently awarded a $200,000 grant!

The Board approved the grant agreement with the State of Florida at their Board Meeting held on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. The design/engineering process will commence within the next couple months and it is anticipated that construction will begin by the end of 2023. 

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

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

1/18/23 @ 10:00 a.m. 

During the most recent Florida Planning & Zoning Association’s Awards Banquet, the Board of County Commissioners won a total of 3 awards for several Nassau County projects and initiatives, further demonstrating the County’s commitment to building a resilient, sustainable, and people-centric future that prioritizes quality of life and quality of place.
 
The First Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning & Zoning Association (FPZA) is a fourteen-member board of directors that annually nominates specific awards throughout the Northeast Florida region. Board member, Sarah King, stated, “Every year, an award chairman and a four-person committee are selected to review and verify that all the nominated projects meet the specific award criteria. With several projects being reviewed, the committee is responsible for selecting and nominating the award winners for each category to the full board of directors for final approval. This process is vetted to the entire board and not every submittal is guaranteed the award. FPZA is proud to present three outstanding Nassau County projects at our annual awards ceremony.”
 
The first award was an Outstanding Public Participation Award for the American Beach Cultural Heritage Experience Enhancement Initiative which was designed to capture the essence, protect the sense of plan, honor the rich cultural heritage of the community, and authentically tell the story of American Beach through the built and natural environment.
 
The project began with a survey of existing conditions of the street network, utilities, tree canopy, parks and beaches. This effort was followed by hundreds of hours of community engagement including telephone interviews, online surveys, public workshops, and meetings at American Beach for the purpose of obtaining input from the residents on future enhancement projects that reflect the community’s values. The result was the creation of a long-term visioning plan that provides for public infrastructure enhancements, installation of public water and sewer, paving of roadways, street lighting, installation of historical markers, expansion of the A.L. Lewis Museum, park improvements and resource protection.  
 
The second award was an Outstanding Public Impact Award for the Westside Regional Park. This park is located off US 1 between Callahan and Hilliard and will serve as a centrally accessible park amenity that retains the visceral beauty of the natural environment. The site’s varying ecosystems include pine flatwoods, a freshwater marsh, and hardwood hydric forests which function together as a diverse yet cohesive setting. Spreading over 110 acres, Westside Regional Park will feature a variety of recreational opportunities for residents to enjoy including, but not limited to, outdoor event/green space, community playground, restrooms, multi-use trails, outdoor fitness stations, a fishing pond and multi-purpose fields. The conceptual plan for this park was derived from community input collected through a series of citizen surveys and public outreach events. The Westside Regional Park is currently in the final stages of engineering for Phase One with construction anticipated to begin in the fall of 2023. Upon completion, the Westside Regional Park will be a world-class destination unlike anything Nassau County has ever seen.
 
The third and final award from the Florida Planning & Zoning Association was an Environmental/Natural Resources Award for the County’s Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Program adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on January 25, 2021. The purpose of the CLAM was to preserve and conserve the County’s natural, historic, and working lands resources by identifying, ranking and accessing conservation lands for acquisition and management. An essential tool of the CLAM Program is to create, analyze and manipulate geographic information, known as data layers. These data layers are maps of resources which can be displayed as they overlap and interact, and where different statistical and analytical processes can be applied to better understand a landscape filled with multiple interacting resources.  Nineteen different data layers were selected for consideration, representing different potential conservation resources.  The different data layers all relate to one of the four most common considerations for acquiring conservation land: Water Issues, Habitat and Species Protections, Working Lands, and Outdoor Recreation/Quality of Life.  This map is used to analyze properties being considered for acquisition. By having a CLAM Program in place, the County will increase its ability to further preserve our natural environment and enhance quality of life for our residents. 

County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “I am extremely proud of all the hard work and effort put into these initiatives and for being selected for these three prestigious awards. As Nassau County continues to grow, it is imperative that we have plans in place to accommodate current and future residents while protecting the County’s unique history, culture and natural environment. I feel fortunate to be a part of these initiatives which will benefit the community for many years to come.” 

​

12/18/22 @ 10:30 a.m. - On Saturday, December 17, 2022, Nassau County Parks & Recreation hosted its second annual Breakfast With Santa Event. Santa arrived on the fire truck at approximately 9:00 a.m. and then he and Mrs. Claus made themselves available for photos with all the children. Guests also enjoyed a free pancake and sausage breakfast. Following breakfast, Santa handed out gifts to the children. A great time was had by all!

We appreciate Parks & Recreation Director, Jay Robertson, for putting the event together, as well as all our volunteers who helped cook and serve breakfast to those in attendance. It was a great event and we are already looking forward to next year's. 

If you see a photo here that you would like a copy of, please email Sabrina Robertson at srobertson@nassaucountyfl.com and let her know which photo you're looking for. A high definition photo will be emailed back to you.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

12/14/22 @ 9:20 a.m. - At the Board of County Commissioner's Meeting held on Monday, December 12, 2022, several department heads presented updates on Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Projects. The CIP is a five-year plan which identifies capital projects and equipment purchases, provides a planning schedule and identifies funding for the projects. 

The presentations included details about recently completed projects, current projects and information on challenges that have affected timelines such as supply chain issues and inflation factors. 

Transportation Projects discussed included CR 108, CR 121, Amelia Island Parkway Trail, River Road, Citrona Pedestrian Safety Improvements; Henry Smith Road, Pages Dairy & Chester Road Intersection Improvements, William Burgess Boulevard Extension, Pratt Siding Road, Amelia Island Parkway/Buccaneer Trail Intersection Improvements, Hendricks Road Extension, Sundberg Road, roads approved for chip seal, and roads approved for level and overlay.

Drainage Projects discussed included: Spring Lakes Estates Drainage Improvements and Thomas Creek.

Facility Improvements/Maintenance Projects discussed included: Justice Center Parking Lot Repairs, Justice Center LED Light Conversion, Justice Center Front Plaza Rehab, Emergency Operations Center Brick Delamination, Sheriff's Vehicle Maintenance Garage, Detention Center Shut-off Valve and Re-piping, Justice Center Courtroom Expansion, Historic Courthouse Generator, Fire Stations 70 and 90 replacement, County Extension Office, HVAC repairs at the James S. Page Governmental Complex, roof replacements for several facilities/structures, new office at Solid Waste, Fire Rescue Storage Facility, and the Historic Courthouse Window Replacement.

Parks/Recreation Projects discussed included: Westside Regional Park, Tributary Park, Nassau Crossing Park, Sports Complex improvements, and Boat Ramp Improvements.

To view the presentation, please click here to be redirected to the Clerk of Courts website. Attached is a copy of the presentation file which you can use to follow along. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

12/5/22 @ 3:50 p.m. - On Saturday, December 3rd, Nassau County Parks & Recreation hosted the County's first ceremonial Christmas Tree Lighting. Approximately 200 people were in attendance for the event which began with holiday music by the Nassau Community Band. At approximately 5:50 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived on one of Nassau County's fire trucks with "Here Comes Santa Claus" playing over the loud speaker while children lined up along the sidewalk waiting trying to catch a glimpse of him. The children were so excited and many of them ran to Santa as soon as he exited the fire truck and gave him a great big hug! Santa and Ms. Claus then spent just over an hour taking photos in front the Christmas tree with the children. The event also featured a food truck, coffee vendor and face painting, as well as a showing of the movie "Elf" on our giant movie screen. 

If you weren't able to attend the ceremony, you can still see the tree as it is displayed in front of the Robert M. Foster Justice Center located at 76346 Veterans Way in Yulee (off William Burgess Blvd) until after the holiday.

Thank you for everyone who was in attendance. We hope that you had a great time! We anticipate that this will become an annual event and hope to add vendors and other activities as the event continues to grow.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer