Ground broken for Vilano Beach project

Participants in the ceremonial ground breaking for the Vilano Beach Oceanfront Park Renovation Project are, from left: Capital Improvement Project Program Manager Jason McKay, Project Manager Phillis Thorpe, Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Jamie Baccari, District 5 County Commissioner Henry Dean, Vilano Beach Main Street Inc. President Linda LaCerva, Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Kane, Assistant County Administrator Sarah Taylor and Public Works Director Greg Caldwell.

Photo by Shaun Ryan

A large sign at the site shows highlights of the forthcoming park.

Photo by Shaun Ryan

Posted Thursday, October 26, 2023 12:00 am

By Shaun Ryan

St. Johns County broke ground Tuesday morning, Oct. 24, on a Vilano Beach Oceanfront Park renovation project, located on 1.7 acres at 2750 Anahma Drive.

The park will offer outdoor space for recreation and building community. It will include the following amenities:

Improvements to the northern walkover to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This will make the beach accessible to visitors who must use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. A Mobi-mat will be installed to make this possible.
Renovation of existing restrooms.
Construction of a covered performance stage with terraced seating. This will allow for various entertainment programs, including musical groups, at the site.

Construction of new outdoor showers.
Construction of changing stations.
Installation of a new climbing play structure and recreation features.
Renovation of the existing south walkover.
Addition of ADA parking in the existing parking lot.

The cost of the project is $1,814,400. It will be funded through park impact fees and the Tree Bank Fund. The project is expected to be completed in February, weather permitting.

The oceanfront location was previously the site of Fiddler’s Green, a popular local restaurant, which in turn had been built on the site of the Vilano Beach Casino, a community club and dance hall. After Fiddler’s Green closed, the county purchased the property in 2007 with a $5.5 million Florida Communities Trust Grant and help from local residents.

The purchase occurred just as the nation was going into a major recession, and funding for renovation suffered.

The restaurant building, which had fallen into disrepair, was demolished in 2013.

Then, in 2019, the county provided about $1.1 million to Parks and Recreation to begin design and construction of the park. Then, in 2020, the county added an additional $700,000.

“This project has been an amazing opportunity for Parks and Recreation to kind of give a re-vision and a re-look to this park and help benefit the community, especially the Vilano team that has been so active for many years in trying to bring back the community and the residents and the tourists to this local area,” said Jamie Baccari, assistant director of St. Johns County Parks and Recreation.

District 5 County Commissioner Henry Dean gave credit to former Commissioner James Bryant for his involvement in the project early on. Dean also recognized Vivian Browning and Sacha Martin for their contributions to the community, as well as others.

Baccari, too, praised members of the Vilano Community Redevelopment Area and Vilano Beach Main Street.

The project is one of 29 underway in St. Johns County, with a total Parks and Recreation capital projects budget of $42.3 million. For general information about the park, go to sjcfl.us/LAMP/Projects/FLct_vilano.aspx.