Programming, events and stewardship take center stage

As Downtown Jacksonville continues to draw more people to the new riverfront parks coming online, a new public-private partnership has been established to bring more programming and activation along the river.

The Jacksonville City Council approved this new partnership at its Aug. 11 meeting and also allocated a total of $1.57 million to riverfront stewardship, with $570,000 going to the Jax Riverfront Alliance for new programming and activations. The remaining million dollars will go to JaxParks for the operations and maintenance of these parks.

Mayor Donna Deegan held a bill signing ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 20 for bill 2026-0552, which approved and funded this new public-private partnership.

“Here’s what this means in plain terms for us,” Deegan said before signing the bill. “It means that our signature riverfont spaces will not just be built beautifully; they’ll be run beautifully. They’ll be programmed; they’ll be activated. They’ll be maintained and loved every single day.”

JRA Board Chair Dave Sweeney emphasized the continued collaboration between JRA and the City of Jacksonville, via the Parks Department, that will take place moving forward.

“Speaking of effective public-private partnerships, JaxParks is such an essential component of the development of this organization,” Sweeney said. “It’s not separated; it’s not a handoff. It’s a true partnership and…we are eager to get to work, supplementing the services already provided by the Parks Department and bringing that world-class experience to the downtown riverfront.”

At the Aug. 4 Finance Committee meeting, Parks Director Daryl Joseph explained the division of duties between JaxParks and JRA.

“We have a clear divide as of the passing of this agreement,” Joseph told committee members. “JRA will be solely focused on the programming of the parks, as well as fundraising. Parks will be focused on the maintenance of the parks.”

Linzee Ott will serve as the interim director for JRA while the nonprofit conducts a nationwide search for its founding CEO, which the board expects to install by early 2027. Ott serves on the Downtown Development Review Board, is a former CEO of Build Up Downtown, and has extensive experience in both public and nonprofit service.

Ott said JRA emerged from discussions going back several years, when The Landing was closing, and the future of Jacksonville’s riverfront was in flux.

“Over the last few years, there have been various community stewards who have shepherded that conversation, and Mayor Deegan has really championed it since she stepped into office, and that community conversation evolved into something more formal last year,” Ott said.

That evolution was the creation of a steering committee comprising 19 civic community leaders from all sectors and industries, which helped formulate what is now JRA. This public-private partnership will span 10 years, with annual public funding approved by the Jacksonville City Council. JRA will also establish a fundraising plan to support the nonprofit and its riverfront efforts.

While JRA will oversee programming and activation for all riverfront parks, its initial focus will be on Riverfront Plaza and the Riverfront Music Garden beginning this fall, gradually expanding its umbrella to cover the Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks, as well as other riverfront public spaces over the next two years.

With more than 400 public parks under the purview of the City’s Parks Department, Ott said JRA will help alleviate some of the responsibilities for Jacksonville’s burgeoning network of riverfront public spaces, creating a cohesive, connected experience for visitors to Jacksonville’s riverfront and establishing these parks as distinct destinations.

“Providing some more muscles and resources behind that programming will get us to that point where we can start amplifying the works that Jax Parks has already started doing, and then also add on top of it – add more and more so that when you visit the riverfront you might encounter a few different activations and activities as you’re strolling along,” Ott said.

While JRA has big plans for the riverfront, Ott said programming at these two parks – Riverfront Plaza and the Riverfront Music Garden – will begin small with pop-up programming for people to enjoy along the river.