Metropolitan Park facts for kids
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Pavilion tent located on the north end of the park (c.2013)
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| Address | 1410 Gator Bowl Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32202-1310 |
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| Location | Downtown Jacksonville |
| Owner | City of Jacksonville |
| Capacity | ~10,000 (concerts) ~25,000 (festivals) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | December 8, 1982 |
| Opened | May 25, 1984 |
| Construction cost | $3.1 million ($9.4 million in 2022 dollars ) |
Metropolitan Park is a large, 32-acre (130,000 m2) park right on the water in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. It sits on the north bank of the St. Johns River. This park is a popular spot for concerts and big events. It's also planned to be the end point of the northbank Jacksonville Riverwalk, a path along the river.
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What Can You Do at Metropolitan Park?
This park is a great place for many different activities. It has a special area for art, crafts, and boat shows. There's also a fun picnic area and a playground for families.
Concerts and Events
The park has a big outdoor stage called a "performance pavilion." It can hold up to 10,000 people for concerts! Many yearly events happen here, like the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and the World of Nations Celebration. You can also enjoy the Spring Music Festival and the Freedom, Fanfare & Fireworks show on July 4th. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra sometimes plays here, and many famous singers and bands have performed too.
Park Features
The main stage is 2,400-square-foot (220 m2) and can be used from both sides. It has seating for 3,000 people under a large roof. There are also special rooms for performers, like a green room and dressing rooms. If you come by boat, the park has 78 boat slips where you can dock.
You'll find 6 covered picnic shelters and 43 picnic tables, perfect for a meal outdoors. There are also restrooms, water fountains, grills, benches, and bike racks. The park has security lights so you can enjoy it safely at night.
How Metropolitan Park Started
The land where Metropolitan Park now stands was once a landfill. The city bought the land in 1972. Over time, more land was added to make the park the size it is today.
Building the Park
The city of Jacksonville, the State of Florida, and the TV station WJCT (TV) helped pay for the park. The plan was to build it in two main steps. The first step included the exhibition area, picnic spots, playgrounds, and the performance stage. Florida Governor Bob Graham was there when construction began on December 8, 1982. This first part of the park was finished in 1984. In 1986, Metropolitan Park won the Governor's Design Award for its great design.
The second step of building the park added paved walkways, lights, landscaping, and parking. This part cost more money and was started by Mayor Tommy Hazouri in 1990. The Catherine Street Fire Museum was moved to the park property in 1993, but it didn't open to the public until 2001.
Future Plans for the Park
In 2008, people from Jacksonville, along with experts in designing outdoor spaces, met to share ideas for Metropolitan Park's future. They wanted to make the park even better. The mayor at the time, Mayor John Peyton, said he wanted to improve the park a lot. He felt the park had a great location but needed better facilities.
A company called HDR, Inc. was hired to create a plan for improving the park. They gathered many ideas from the community meeting to use in their design.
Kids Kampus
In the 1990s, community leaders created a group called the Metropolitan Park Kids Kampus Task Force. They wanted to design a new play area for children that would help them learn and grow. Educators helped design structures and activities that would let kids be curious and explore.
Construction on Kids Kampus began in March 2000, and it opened in March 2001. This 10-acre area was right next to Metropolitan Park. It had a soccer field, picnic shelters, playgrounds, and restrooms. A very popular part was a bicycle and tricycle driving range. It looked like a mini-downtown Jacksonville, with street signs, traffic lights, and buildings!
Kids Kampus also had a seasonal water park. It featured a boat-shaped structure with water cannons and a slide. There was also a special area called "Bayou, Bogs & Frogs" for younger children.
In 2010, the water park at Kids Kampus closed because of plans to renovate Metropolitan Park. Later, all traces of Kids Kampus were removed, and the area became a grassy field.
Park Improvements
In 2010, Mayor Peyton and city council members discussed plans for improving downtown, including Metropolitan Park. Money was set aside for these projects. About $8.2 million was planned for the first phase of Metropolitan Park's improvements. This included replacing the Kids Kampus area with new water features and better access to the Fire Museum. They also planned to remove fences to make it easier to get to the river. The plan also included creating a large 4-acre public lawn for activities and adding more picnic areas and shade trees. The city council approved these plans in February 2010.
Gallery
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The Black Keys at The Big Ticket in 2010
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Southeast US Boat Show in April 2014
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Avenged Sevenfold at Welcome To Rockville in 2014
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The annual World of Nations Celebration
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Jacksonville Fire Museum is adjacent to Metropolitan Park.
