A walk in the park

Evelyn C. McDonald
Arts & Culture Reporter
July 13, 2017 11:00 a.m.

I’m frequently traveling along Atlantic Avenue and crossing over Egan’s Creek on my way to Fletcher. Over the past year or so, I noticed the construction going on at Egan’s Creek where the old recreation equipment used to be. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to see what the site had to offer.

I am perennially in need of more exercise. At no time is this brought home to me more strongly than when I return from a vacation with my daughter and teenage grandchildren. So I’ve been walking with friends.

This week we decided to do our walk at the park. We drove to Egan’s Creek to walk (yes, I know; the notion of driving so you can walk does sound odd). The park is quite lovely. There is a ¼ mile walking trail curving in and out round the perimeter of the park. At several places around this trail are fitness stations. These are areas with exercise equipment, permanently set into concrete and spaced out along the side of the walk. The intent is for you to walk, stop to complete an exercise on the equipment and then continue walking.

One of the nicest things about the park is the plantings – flowers, ornamental grasses, a butterfly garden are arranged about the paths and benches. There is a maze planted with what I think is liriope lining the boundaries of the maze walking path. Restrooms, a covered pavilion, and a covered shelter with two benches are also on-site. Other benches are spread along the perimeter walking path. There are enough trees that some of these benches are in the shade, also welcome.

Not all of the space is covered with walks, benches, and the like. There is an open grassy area whose use can be whatever people want to make it. Along the creek side, pillars have been set up with signs depicting and describing various types of Florida wildlife. Two binocular stands have been set up and you don’t even have to have quarters to use them. There is a dock for boat and kayak launching.

The benches under the shelter next to the boat dock are nice places to sit and watch the marsh and its tidal flow. A friend of mine commented that we spend most of our time driving over the marsh and it’s nice to get a better look at it. I recommend a visit even if you don’t need to get the exercise.

Evelyn McDonald moved to Fernandina Beach from the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. in 2006. Evelyn is vice-chair on the Amelia Center for Lifelong Learning and is on the Dean’s Council for the Carpenter Library at the UNF. Ms. McDonald has MS in Technology Management from the University of Maryland’s University College and a BA in Spanish from the University of Michigan.