Thank You 2018 Grant Partners!
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
Today we’d like to give thanks to our grant partners for this past year; LISC Jacksonville, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Wells Fargo, AARP, National Endowment for the Humanities and NEA Irma Hurricane Relief Project Subgrant. Thanks to their support, our organization can produce quality programming that reflects the inclusive mission of our organization.
We’d also like to recognize the work of the board, staff, and volunteers this past year; which led to several awards for the organization. In May, the SPAR Commercial Corridor Committee was awarded a Historic Preservation Award from the City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission for the commercial corridor façade grant program, which has helped revitalize commercial areas of the Springfield Historic District. (Learn more about this program here: https://www.sparcouncil.org/facade_matching_grant) In April, SPAR received the Neighbors Get Moving award from the City of Jacksonville for it’s role in organizing and promoting wellness activities. SPAR was also honored for work supporting the commercial revitalization at the 2018 LISC Community Development Awards in February.
Thank you to 2018 City Departments and Services!
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
We’d like to thank the JaxParks, the City of Jacksonville Special Events Department, the City of Jacksonville Planning and Development Department, City of Jacksonville Mowing and Landscape Division, JEA, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the FDOT Northeast Florida, Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), the City Council, and our Councilman Reggie Gaffney for being partners with SPAR. From installing bike repair stations to repairing lights on Main Street, we’re grateful for all the hard work completed in the past year for our neighborhood.
We’re looking forward to continued work with these departments in 2019!
2018 New Springfield Businesses
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
We’d like to congratulate all of the new businesses that opened up in Springfield this year; Best Dressed Dame, Encore Title Services, LLC, Bleu Chocolate Cafe, Bobbyk Boutique, BARK on MAIN, Fred Cotten's Landmark BBQ, Ysyntricity, Jacksonville Pediatric Associates Main Street, The Cookbook Restaurant, Icecapade Frozen Treats, 1 Foxy Lady Cafe and Catering, Simply Ke'say Boutique, Sofia’s Closet and Alterations, and Sargent Cycle Products/ Sargent Upholstery Co. for investing $1 million in their Springfield expansion!
We’re also excited for these businesses that are working hard to open their doors soon: 1748 Bakehouse, Brick and Beam, Smith Brothers Plastering Company Inc., and Strings Sports Brewery.
If you have a business in Springfield or that serves the Springfield community, consider joining the Springfield Area Merchants and Business Association. Learn more about SAMBA here.
2018 Residential Revival Project
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
We were thrilled to grow our Residential Revival Project this year and give back to a long-term Springfield couple on a small-scale exterior renovation. With $1,000 for materials and the help of donations and volunteer work, SPAR was able to do the equivalent of $15,000 worth of repairs.
The neighborhood residents and businesses truly came together to help protect the historic fabric of our community. Because of the success and continued need in the neighborhood for similar projects, SPAR will continue the program to assist a minimum of one low to moderate income resident each year with the costs of exterior maintenance and restoration of their historic homes.
If you or your business is interested in learning more about donating to this project or volunteering, please email [email protected]. We’ll be announcing details about our 2019 Residential Revival Project soon.
2018 Jax PorchFest
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
2018 marked the fifth year of Jax PorchFest, and the event drew approximately 15,000 people to Springfield! Special thanks to the sponsors, committee members, volunteers, and attendees for making it the most successful Jax PorchFest to date!
This family-friendly, free music festival held on the front porches of the neighborhood and in Klutho Park embodies the welcoming spirit of the Springfield community.
We hope you enjoyed this year’s festival, and we’ll be announcing soon preliminary details about the 2019 event. Follow Jax PorchFest and the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR) page for the latest updates.
If you’re interested in learning about sponsorship, vendor, or volunteering information for the 2019 Jax PorchFest, please email [email protected] to be placed on our notification list.
(Photos: Debra Heuskin Photography)
Thank You 2018 Sponsors, Donors, and Members!
(Photo: Debra Heuskin Photography)
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
Today, we’d like to thank all our sponsors, donors, and members. Their support of our organization allows us to work on our mission of ensuring Historic Springfield is a preferred place to live and do business by leading programs that drive the preservation, revitalization, and balanced growth of our community.
If you patron a sponsor of a SPAR program or event; please thank them for their support!
If you or your business are interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities for 2019, please reach out to [email protected]. You can learn more about becoming a member of SPAR here.
Looking back at 2018: Bike Socials
We’re counting down to 2019 and Springfield’s Sesquicentennial by looking back at 2018 and giving thanks. Join us in celebrating this past year!
One of many reasons that Springfield is a fantastic place to live is the bikeability of the neighborhood. We celebrated that last night with the Holiday Bike Ride, an annual Springfield tradition of friends and neighbors leisurely riding through the Historic District to enjoy the lights and spectacle of the holidays.
This year we also took a bike ride to a Jacksonville Jaguars game and SPAR Board, Staff, and Committee members rode to a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game! We love being a bike ride away from even more entertainment options!
Keep an eye out on the SPAR page for information on our 2019 bike socials!
Thank you 2018 volunteers!
2018 Holiday Bike Ride - December 18
Join your friends and neighbors for this Springfield holiday tradition - the Holiday Bicycle Ride. It's a leisurely evening bicycle ride through the Historic District to enjoy the lights and spectacle of the holidays.
Kids are encouraged, as are bike decorations!
Meet at bandstand in Klutho Park (corner of W. 3rd & Silver) at 6pm on December 18, and the ride should end around 8pm. The route will cover the majority of the neighborhood and allow riders to experience all of Historic Springfield’s best holiday displays from the perfect vantage point.
There will be post ride festivities to be announced in the event page!
*all riders are encouraged to have a bike light & safety gear
Ribbon Cutting for New Bike Repair Stations
We had a ribbon cutting ceremony with AARP on Nov. 27 for our new bicycle maintenance station behind the SPAR building on Main Street! We were one of 129 grantees to receive funding through AARP Livable Communities' AARP Community Challenge "Quick Action" grant program.
SPAR's project funded two bicycle and wheelchair maintenance stations (the other in Klutho Park); as well as the installation of additional trash receptacles on Main Street.
Click here to read more about the grant.