Riverside Avondale Neighborhood Forum
Riverside Avondale Neighborhood Forum
City Councilmembers – Past, Present & Future
Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) is hosting a Neighborhood Forum on March 2, 6:30 p.m. at The Garden Club of Jacksonville. The event goes beyond a candidate meet & greet by including previous District Councilmembers from the last 20 years discussing major achievements in policies and projects for the neighborhood. Candidates are given a chance to reflect on comments made by their predecessors – and speak to the legacy they wish to create.
Councilmembers Corrigan, Love, and DeFoor will share achievements and lessons learned with the audience. A slideshow will cover some of the major projects executed in Riverside and Avondale over the last 20 years, including construction of the Riverside Arts Market, the Historic Preservation Zoning Overlay, Riverside Avondale Community Garden, John Gorrie Dog Park, passage of the Jacksonville HRO, the Fuller Warren Shared Use Path, Post Street Dock, Lomax Street & 5 Points traffic and infrastructure improvements, and major funding to our parks.
District 14 Councilmembers
Michael Corrigan (2003 – 2011)
Jim Love (2011 – 2019)
Randy DeFoor (2019 – 2023)
The City of Jacksonville redistricting process led to boundary changes for Riverside and Avondale, leaving District 14 for District 7. Candidates for this new district had very little time to react and meet filing deadlines. This year, residents living in Riverside, 5 Points and Avondale will join with adjacent historic neighborhoods of Ortega, Murray Hill and Brooklyn, and further connect with historic Springfield, East Jacksonville and downtown. This is an entirely new district, and many are unaware of the changes.
Candidates for District 7
John Phillips
Jimmy Peluso
Kim Pryor
Joe Hogan
Parrish King
“What we see in our neighborhood today and what we take the most pride in, such as fantastic local parks, walkable, tree-lined streets, river vistas, preservation of 100-year old homes and unique architecture – it has all been under threat. They remain here today because of the advocacy and the hard-won fights that Riverside Avondale Preservation and individuals from the city fought for with our champion in City Hall,” said Shannon Blankinship, Executive Director at Riverside Avondale Preservation.
“Who we elect this year will impact our neighborhood for possibly the next eight years, and it is crucial we get this right. This isn’t national politics, it’s neighborhood issues and I want to hear someone say they will work with the neighborhood to build a legacy worthy of reflection,” said Board of Directors Chair, Perry Reynolds.
