Gloria McNair, Groundwork Jacksonville’s Manager for Community Engagement recently hosted a tour of North Riverside and Mixon Town for 28 University of North Florida (UNF) students, led by Dr. Charles Closmann, Associate Professor in UNF’s History Department, and Dr. Joshua Geller, Associate Professor in UNF’s Political Science Department,
Gloria shared the history of the area and the impacts that red lining, contamination, flooding and disinvestment have had on the community. Mixon Town residents, Chinchilla Smart and Henry Scott, joined the tour and described what it is was like to grow up in the neighborhood and their experience working with GWJax.
Gloria also outlined the extensive engagement, visioning and planning process GWJax has led in partnership with the resident members of the North Riverside CDC (Community Development Corporation). As a result, last year the residents adopted a plan for North Riverside focusing on Economic Opportunities, History & Culture, Housing and Environmental Stewardship.
According to Gloria, enabling people to stay in their homes and to build generational wealth is the top priority for the residents. In partnership with North Riverside CDC and LISC Jacksonville, GWJax has started a home repair program, modeled after LISC’s successful program in historic Eastside.
Funded in part by a $20,000 grant from the Edna Sproull Williams Foundation and Groundwork donors, the seed money will hire a case manager and construction manager to evaluate and manage repair requests. The goal is to raise enough money to repair 15 homes.
The walking tour began at the former Technical High School on King Street and proceeded to Crystal Street where the students got a view of the raised cul-de-sac design that is part of the McCoys Creek restoration project to mitigate flooding.
The group also visited the Daily Manna Community Garden where GWJax and CREST (Community Restoration Environmental Stewardship Training) stewards have helped install and maintain the garden through grant funding and hands-on work. The garden provides a source of free, fresh vegetables in the area’s food desert.
The last stop was at the Broward Pond Community Living Room. The completed retention pond design is a beautiful example of what the residents may expect for the completed Emerald Trail.
