Friendship Park: Inside the fence


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  • | 12:00 p.m. February 2, 2011
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by Max Marbut

Staff Writer

Since last August, Friendship Park on the Southbank has been closed to allow for the first major renovation since the riverfront public space opened in 1965.

Constructed at a cost of $1.7 million, including what was billed at the time as “The World’s Largest Fountain,” the budget for the improvements was set by City Council at $3.1 million.

When the park reopens, visitors will notice two significant changes. More than half of the expanse of concrete will have been removed and the fountain will once again be fully functional, including a central water jet that will shoot water more than 100 feet into the air.

In addition to more “green” in the form of lawn space and more tree canopy to provide shade, the fountain and the park will be illuminated with LED technology.

That is designed to reduce the park’s electrical operating cost by as much as 75 percent and allow an even better fountain show than the original, which depended on incandescent lighting.

When the new water feature debuts, the full color spectrum will be available, even teal lights for Jacksonville Jaguars home game weekends, said Eric Lindstrom, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission project manager for Friendship Park.

“We’re creating another Downtown destination,” he said.

The new and improved Friendship Park is scheduled to debut by June 1.

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