JAX2025: 'Cool and sexy' to create Jacksonville's vision

News

About 200 participants spent Saturday morning hammering out strategies and actions to make sure the JAX2025 Vision for the community is carried out.

Suggestions created Saturday will be crafted into the final JAX2025 Vision scheduled for release from 9-11 a.m. May 18 at the West Touchdown Club at EverBank Field.

Participants spent two hours discussing their chosen vision areas: A Healthy Community; A Diverse & Inclusive Community; The Hub of Smooth Transportation; Distinctive Neighborhoods and a Vibrant Downtown; The Value of Education; A Vibrant Economy; A Clean & Green City; A Place Where People Matter; The Arts & Entertainment Scene; and Exemplary Governance.

The Neighborhoods/Downtown tables drew the most interest, with 40 people choosing the topic for group discussion. Other topics with more than 20 participants each included arts and entertainment, education, diversity and the economy.

JAX2025 isn’t the community’s first visioning effort, but Jacksonville Community Council Inc. President and CEO Ben Warner explained to the group that it should be the most effective. JCCI is leading the effort.

“Our traditional experience is for people to come up with needs and call on leaders to make things happen and then hand off and then sit back and complain,” Warner said.

“The process today is to think about individual action,” he said.

People lined up at the end of the event to make “they should” and “I can” statements to create an action plan.

Among the dozens of suggestions for “I can” were”

• Invite someone Downtown or to a neighborhood.

• Shop local.

• Create an opportunity or job for a young person.

• Organize a barbecue or potluck in the neighborhood to foster a sense of community.

• Enjoy area parks and waterways.

• Volunteer at least once a year in a public school.

• Recycle.

• Register to vote, research candidates and make an informed vote.

• Volunteer at a nonprofit.