Florida C. Dwight Memorial Playground

     
Rated for
 
skate spot painted in multiple colors of blue

Available Amenities

Accessible Amenities Artificial Reef Bait & Tackle Baseball Basketball Benches Beach Pier Bike Racks Bike Trail Birding Trail Boat Dock Boat Fuel Boat Pumpout Boat Ramp Boat Trailer Parking Canoe Rental Community Center Concession Stand DogPark Drinking Fountain Equestrian Trail Fishing Available Football Golf Grills Hiking Trail Nonmotorized Launch Kayak Rental Lighting Manatee Education Multipurpose Field On the water Paddle Board Rental Parking Pickleball PWC Rental Picnic Shelters Picnic Tables Playground Restaurant Restrooms RiverWalk Sailboard Rental Sailboat Rental Scenic Overlook Skate Park Soccer Splash Pad Surfing Swimming Pool Tennis Trash Barrels Wheelchair Accessible

About Florida C. Dwight Memorial Playground

Florida C. Dwight Memorial Playground is located in the La Villa section near downtown Jacksonville, just west of Interstate 95. The park comprised a portion of the Town of La Villa, which was subdivided and incorporated after the Civil War and remained independent until annexed by Jacksonville in 1887. After the City purchased the land in 1904, it became a park for the area’s white residents known as La Villa Park. In 1929, the City’s second playground for African-American children was established there and named La Villa Playground. Florida Dwight (1886-1977), the playground’s first recreation director, pioneered organized recreation for the City’s African-American community from 1918 (with the opening of Oakland Park) until her retirement in 1950. To honor her years of devoted work, the playground was renamed in 1983, and then designated a local historic landmark in 1995.

In 2019, a skate spot was added and in 2020 the skate spot received a park mural in shades of blue. A new playground was installed in 2023 and the Emerald Trail will run through the park.
Additional features:
Amenity Count
Basketball Lighted 2
Benches 1
Bleachers 1
Community Center  
Perimeter Site Fencing  
Playground Equipment 2
Restrooms 1
Skate Park  
Softball Youth Lighted 1
Tennis Hard 1
Trash Barrels 6
Skate
Skate Spot 1