Article and photo by Lily Hinz

Debbie Thompson, in her own words, has her “finger in every pie” in Historic Springfield, but was hesitant to talk about herself. Her desire is to highlight the hard work and accomplishments of the many organizations in the neighborhood. During a sit-down with her, I was able to learn a lot about the many opportunities to volunteer and contribute just from hearing about her involvement. Debbie is a preservationist, an activist and a fantastic neighbor.

9/22/17

Christina Parrish Stone, SPAR Executive Director, announced Thursday that she will be stepping down from her position this November.

Parrish Stone has worked tirelessly, acting as a diligent advocate for the Springfield Historic District and advancing the mission of the organization. The community and the SPAR Council are exceedingly grateful for her contributions, and look forward to building on the many successes of her tenure moving forward.

SPAR Council will be seeking a new Executive Director, with information about that opportunity shared soon.

At the September 21, 2017 annual community meeting, SPAR members will vote on candidates for our Board of Directors. There are seven openings available. The current Board of Directors feel these six new candidates would be valuable assets to the organization in helping lead the Springfield Historic District forward. We are proud to present them to our membership for their approval. In addition, Todd Hollinghead, currently serving as Vice President of SPAR, is seeking reelection to the Board for a second and final term. 

If you have any questions for these candidates, please submit them prior to September 21st via email to the SPAR office at sparoffice@sparcouncil.org, and the candidates will provide their answers at the annual community meeting on September 21st. No questions will be taken from the floor.

By Katie McPherson

You see them strolling the sidewalks and snoozing on porches, grabbing coffee or enjoying breakfast around town with their people. We’d like to introduce you to some of the neighborhood pups, as told by their families.

Authored by Lily Hinz

If you ever find yourself on Market Street at its intersection with East 6th Street, you will notice a pristine, colorful and fun landscape outside a charming yellow duplex. If you are fortunate enough to drive by around the time of a holiday, you will likely take pause to marvel at and snap a quick picture of the décor there. Heather Bishop and Jennifer Ramsey work tirelessly on their themed decorations for holidays, while also maintaining their standard landscaping year round.

Sculpture Walk is coming to Henry J Klutho Park in the Springfield Historic District. A partnership between Sculpture Walk Jax, the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and SPAR, the project will display ten large scale sculptures with up to four being purchased as permanent pieces for the community. SPAR is supporting this project with a $5,000 matching grant (courtesy of funds generated by our Jacksonville Porchfest event) and is also coordinating lighting, landscaping and seating with City of Jacksonville. The end result will be like nothing else in Jacksonville!

Artist submissions will be accepted until September 1st, 2017, and the opening reception will be held on November 4th, 2017 during Jacksonville Porchfest. Click here to download all the details!

We are excited to announce the second round of awards from the SPAR + SAMBA facade grant program. Congrats to the following projects!

We are proud to have selected as a featured partner in LISC's national annual report, highlighting just a portion of the work we do in our community. 

We are excited to announce the first wave of awards from the SPAR + SAMBA facade grant program. Congrats to the following projects!

Statement Regarding Proposed Ordinances 2017-36, 2017-68 and 2017-69

Summary

On Monday evening the Board of Directors of Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council, Inc. (SPAR) held a special meeting to review proposed City of Jacksonville Ordinances 2017-36, 2017-68 and 2017-69. The board members in attendance voted unanimously to oppose this legislation, on the grounds that the recommended changes to the Springfield Zoning Overlay and Historic District Regulations were drafted without appropriate community input; are unnecessary; are unfairly applied; and are potentially harmful to future development of the historic district. Further, the proposed changes do not accomplish the stated goal of the settlement agreement, which is to protect the rights of disabled citizens to live wherever they choose in Jacksonville. Instead, the effect of the agreement is to single out Springfield to be the default and de facto area in Jacksonville for disabled housing.

(Read below for the full statement)