Busting at the springs...
Spring Park is located on the beautiful St. Johns River. Spring Park hosts many of the City's activities, such as our famous Memorial Day RiverFest held in May. Spring Park also includes state-of-the-art playground equipment for children of all ages and numerous covered shelters for family gatherings, picnics or just relaxing in the shade.
The water surges up from below at a rate that has at times exceeded 3,000 gallons per minute and at a constant temperature of 72 degrees. It flows out of the spring, through the municipal swimming pool, and finally into Spring Run as it makes its journey to the St. Johns River some 200 feet away. Here you often find manatees seeking temperature specific waters year round.
Enhancement of Spring Park is an intricate part of redeveloping the entire downtown historic district. The City Council had a vision for the future of this natural treasure. From there, a planning firm was chosen and the first draft was completed. The master plan was completed and the first phase implementation began in fiscal year 98/99. The City then obtained over $250,000 in FRDAP grants to purchase new playground equipment, build new sidewalks and picnic shelters and place decorative lighting throughout the Park. Enhancing the Park's features is an ongoing project. Additional lands were purchased in 2004 for approximately $2 million with funding from a grant from the Florida Communities Trust Florida Forever Program. The new land is located adjacent to and along the St. Johns River and will be preserved as the 'Green Cove Springs Nature Preserve.' The environmentally sensitive property will include nature trails, canoe launches, observation decks, and an educational program for visitors. Most recently, white sand volleyball courts have been put in, along with a complete overhaul of the pool and surrounding areas. Why go somewhere else, when we are Busting at the Springs?
