BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
GREEN COVE SPRINGS— Clay County commissioners approved Phase 1 of a recreational sports complex to be built near Camp Blanding, north of the intersection of State Roads 16 and 21.
The contracts, one for purchase of the 250-acre parcel and a second to build Phase 1 of the park, will be financed by a $3 million state grant and $3 million in county funds.
County Manager Howard Wanamaker told commissioners that Phase 1 plans include a 20-acre multi-use pond, a monument sign by SR 21, a lighted entrance road, 10 multi-purpose fields, approximately 300 parking spaces, 10 sand volleyball courts, a food court area for food trucks, three covered structures and restrooms.
Wanamaker said roughly two miles of walking trails is also included in the first phase of construction.
Developer Nate Day said that because of rising costs, a dog park, field lighting, a playground and bleachers that were originally listed in Phase 1 have been moved to Phase 2.
He also said that because the construction contract is a design-build cost-plus agreement, additional components could be added to Phase 1 if funding is left over after completing the original plans, including lighting and additional fields.
Charles Garrison of Carlson Construction added that the reverse could also occur.
“This is a conceptual budget that was developed off of a few hard numbers from a few subcontractors and very recent historical data,” he said of Phase 1. “If something crazy happens, we could end up with eight multi-purpose fields (instead of 10) because we will be limited to that $3.75 (million construction budget).”
When asked by Commissioner Wayne Bolla what the price tag would be for all phases of the project, Garrison said he had not priced out the entire project but would do so by the next commissioners’ meeting.
Commissioner Betsy Condon emphasized the importance of the project preserving 250 acres of green space.
“I would rather see this than another 1,000 homes,” she said. “This protects 250 acres of needed green space. It also provides the opportunity for recreation for people in our county that don’t have access.”
Day, who also represents the land seller, said the seller is in advanced negotiations with the North Florida Land Trust for an adjacent 800 acres. He said that if that transaction goes through, it will preserve additional acreage from residential and commercial development.
County Auditor Heather Boucher said the $2,250,000 land purchase price works out to $9,000 an acre. She added that the agricultural value of the parcel is $8,750 an acre. She also said an appraiser calculated a value of $19,500 an acre based on the use of residential housing.
Boucher also told commissioners she analyzed construction costs of recreational parks in Alachua and Nassau counties, in addition to a facility in North Myrtle Beach, SC. The only facility that was lower than the Clay County project was in Nassau County. That park has two Little League baseball fields, a concession building with restrooms, multi-use trails and a parking area with a monument sign at the entrance.
“I think we’re getting more bang for our buck,” she said of the Nassau County park.
