Parks, See

John Muir Ecological Park

coaching youth baseball and basketball at the school, and serving as a Parks and Recreation Director in Fernandina Beach and in Georgia, Robertson brings a wealth of experience to the job.

Current Nassau County Parks System Offerings

Nassau County can already boast about its parks and recreation spaces spread throughout the area. Here is an overview:

Four Sports Complexes Bryceville Sports Complex

(Bryceville Sports Association) - Three baseball/softball fields, concessions/bathroom building, and playground.

Kirsten M. Higginbotham Complex-Callahan

(Callahan Little League, Callahan Soccer Club, Callahan Sports Association) - Seven baseball/softball fields, 1 football field/stadium, 1 multi- purpose field, two soccer fields, concessions/bathroom buildings, and batting cages.

Stein Tompkins Sports Complex-Hilliard

(Hilliard Little League, Hilliard Sports Association) - Five baseball/softball fields, one football field/stadium, concessions/ bathroom building, batting cages.

Yulee Sports Complex

(Yulee Basketball Association, Yulee Little League, Yulee Sports Association) - Seven baseball/softball fields, two football fields, one indoor gymnasium, two outdoor tennis courts, one outdoor basketball court, concessions/ bathroom building, batting cages, and playground.

PROVIDED BY Seven Boat Ramps

DeeDee Bartels (Northern Island) Goffinsville (Old Nassauville) Holly Point (Old Nassauville) Melton Nelson (SR 200/Lofton Creek) John Claxton (Wilson Neck) Edwards Road (SR 200/West of 95) King’s Ferry (Northern Hilliard)

Two Regional Parks

Goffinsville Park (Old Nassauville Road) John Muir Ecological Park (SR 200)

Six Community Centers American Beach Bryceville Callahan Callahan Multi-use Facility Hilliard Yulee

Trail Systems

150.2 miles across Nassau County

Blueway Systems

(water paths or trails with launch points, camping, and picnic spots) 118.7 miles across Nassau County

Multiple Beach Access Points

There are many across Nassau County, including three drive-on access points at Peter’s Point, Scott’s Road, and American Beach.

Nassau Crossing Park

(William Burgess District) - 15 acres A community park with walking trails, a playground, two rectangular fields, a dock/stage, a splash pad, and a train depot.

Tributary Park

(Edwards Road) - 58 acres A large park with an integrated trail system, four baseball diamonds, two rectangular fields, a playground, a dog park, outdoor fitness stations, a kayak launch, and connectivity to regional water and land trail systems.

Westside Regional Park

US 1, just west of Hilliard) - 107 acres A regional park with a seven-acre fishing lake, walking/biking trail systems, three Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) regulation soccer fields, amphitheater with room for 3500 attendees, kayak outfitter, outdoor fitness plaza, fishing lake with dock access, playgrounds, multi-use flex spaces, airnasium with flexible covered space and basketball courts, dog park, dog wash station, outdoor pavilions, a managed forest, park benches throughout, and a future 40,000 square foot community center and Olympic size swimming pool. Wildlight Park (Wildlight Community) - 40 +/- acres. A regional park, its design is yet to be determined.

If John Muir were alive today, he would congratulate the Nassau County BOCC for their forward-thinking investment into our quality of life. Time spent outdoors improves our mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health and wellbeing. Thankfully, our county’s leadership is committed to providing beautiful and functional outdoor spaces for our citizens now and in the future.

Information for this article was provided by Jay Robertson, Nassau County Parks and Recreation Director. He can be reached via email at jrobertson@nassaucountyfl.com or via telephone at 904-530-6127.

Story Correction from May 26, 2022, front cover. The ship was the USS Phoenix.

Future Nassau County Park System

The future is bright for Nassau County’s outdoor places and spaces as more parks are designed and opened to serve our growing population.

Here is a list of upcoming new parks and their amenities:

Blackrock Cove Park

(Blackrock Road and Heron Isles Parkway) - 8.5 acres. A community park with rectangular field, outdoor meeting space, dog park, outdoor fitness stations, walking trail, and playground.

Liberty Cove Park

(William Burgess District) - 20 +/- acres A regional park with integrated walking trails connecting multiple parcels, outdoor social spaces, waterfront pavilion, ecological outlook, and a kayak facility. Phone: 904.583.9096 • Email: TheYuleeNews@gmail.com

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FREE FINANCIAL EDUCATION

‘Summertime and the Livin’ Is Easy’ or At Least a Little Bit Easier

by Nancy Lee Bethea School’s out for summer, and hopefully, that means a less hectic schedule for you and your family.

You may be looking for camps or summer educational programs to enrich your kids’ summer. If so, here is a list of a few we know about here at “The Yulee News.” If you know of a summer program not listed here, please email us at TheYuleeNews@gmail.com and give us the scoop. We will be happy to publish more summer events in our upcoming issues.

Nassau County Library – Summer Reading Program

Each summer, the Nassau County Library sponsors a summer reading program for kids and adults. This year, the theme is “Oceans of Possibilities.” Participating in a summer reading program is a good way to keep your kids reading and combat the dreaded “summer slide.” In fact, research says kids who read 20 minutes a day typically score in the top 90 percent on standardized tests (Scholastic).

YOUR GATHERING PLACE

OPENING SOON NEAR YOU!

Stop by any of the five Nassau County Library locations to sign up and receive a reading bag, or sign up online at https:// nassaureads.com/summer-reading-2022/.

The summer reading program starts June 1 and runs through July 22. Younger readers (babies through age 11) will receive a reading log to fill out weekly for small prizes. Teen and adult readers can complete book reviews on Facebook or on paper and be entered in a prize drawing scheduled for the end of the summer.

Please see the June and July calendars for story times and information on special presentations taking place at all five library locations.

Please call Michelle Forde, Youth Librarian, at 904-530-6506 for more information, or visit www.nassaureads.com.

AREA SUMMER CAMPS

There are many camps going on all over the Northeast Florida area. Here are a few happening here in Nassau County:

Red Bluff Farm Summer Camp

(Hilliard) -June 6 - July 28; 9a.m. - 2 p.m.; Ages 4-13. $200 per week. Campers experience life on a working farm, harvesting vegetables, gardening, collecting eggs, feeding animals, and more. Phone: 904-742-0375. https://redblufffarmsfl.com/summer-camp

Amelia Island Museum of History Summer Camp (Fernandina Beach)

July 11-15; 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.; Ages 6-11 Registration closes June 30. $65 per camper. Reuse and Re-do: Explore, discover, and learn! Come and create your own history with items from the past. ameliamuseum.org/events/ summer-camp-2022/. Phone: 904-261-7378 x100.

ACROSS

1- Hostile to 5- Mountain nymph of Greek mythology 10- Slat 14- Shower 15- Shouldered 16- Popular cookie 17- Salt Lake City students 18- Piece of bacon 19- Contest, ethnicity 20- Got ripped 21- Musical clickers 23- Sun Devils’ sch. 25- 100 square meters 26- Nonsense 31- Forbidden 35- Doc bloc 36- Back in 38- Poisonous 40- Torn clothing 42- Fear greatly 44- Granary 45- Snapshot 47- Bony prefix 49- Actress Sandra 50- Blood line 52- Person who tends sheep 54- Gerund maker 56- 1 or 66: Abbr. 57- Pertaining to a barber 62- Racetrack fence 66- Gaelic 67- Big name in vermouth 68- Scandinavian capital 69- Saudi king 70- More or less vertical 71- Electric fish 72- Body shops? 73- New Hampshire city 74- Freelancer’s encl.

Royal Amelia Dance Company Performing Arts Summer Camps

(Fernandina Beach) - Four separate one-week camps running July 4 – July 29. Create a show based on a hit musical. Phone: 904-624-7240. www.royalameliadanceacademy.com/ameliaislandcamps

White Oak Conservation Camps

(Yulee) -May 29 – July 29 for students in grades 3 through 12.Prices vary by week. Learn about wildlife, conservation, and how you can make an impact all while making friends and having fun. https://www.whiteoakwildlife.org/ Phone: 904-225-3360

Arts Alive Summer Camps (Yulee)

Drum and Rhythm Camp – June 6 - June 8, 2022. Summer Art Camp – June 27 - June 29, 2022. Hansel and Gretel – West Nassau Theater Camp – July 18 – July 22, 2022. “Arts Alive Nassau promotes the arts and provides free or low-cost arts opportunities to kids who would otherwise have little or no access to the arts.” Phone number: 904-310-9243. www.artsalivenassau.org/

YMCA Summer Day Camp (Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns Counties)

May 31 – August 12 for kids ages 5 – 15 New themes each week that help kids discover new skills, build self-confidence, make new friends, and feel a sense of achievement. Prices vary by camp location. Phone: 904-265-1775. https://fcymca.org/programs/camp/

CHURCH PROGRAMS First Baptist Church Fernandina Beach - Vacation Bible School

June 6 – 10, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 1600 South 8th Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida, 32024. Phone: 904-261-3617. https://fbfirst.com/fbkids

Callahan First Baptist Church – Vacation Bible School

June 6-10 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Free, but you must register your children for the weekly program. 45090 Green Avenue, Callahan, Florida, 32011 https://www.callahanfbc.org/ Phone: 904-879-2172

We hope you have a safe, sunny, and satisfying summer!

Crossword Puzzle

DOWN

1- Stuck, after “in” 2- Western pact 3- Wedding cake feature 4- Trouser measurement 5- Hidden 6- Roster used to assign duties 7- Drops the ball 8- Ekberg of “La Dolce Vita” 9- Leave 10- Traditional passed-down knowledge 11- Smell ___ 12- Gumshoes 13- Weed whacker 22- Peachy-keen 24- Neighbor of Isr. 26- Diamond cover 27- Mutual of ___ 28- Myopic Mr. 29- Other, in Oaxaca 30- Head lock 32- Diddley and Derek 33- Rust, e.g. 34- Exxon Valdez, e.g. 37- Pledge 39- Like some dorms 41- Orch. section 43- Cervine 46- Redding of R&B 48- Decide 51- Hooded jacket 53- People of courage 55- Search blindly 57- Snare 58- Dept. of Labor div. 59- Sparks and Beatty 60- Got it 61- Slippery ___ eel 63- On the ocean 64- Woes 65- Misplace 66- Abysmal grades