Willowbranch Library Celebrates Its 80th Birthday!

Our beautiful Willowbranch Library, the oldest still-open branch in the city's system, is celebrating its 80th birthday this Saturday, Nov. 6th.  On several occasions, it has faced the threat of closure but survived. Now it thrives as Jacksonville's most attractive and accessible neighborhood library.

Come celebrate this backyard gem at a community celebration that begins at 11 am this Saturday.  Join the Honorable Michael Corrigan, District 14 City Council, and your neighbors in vintage parlor games, face-painting, arts and crafts and other fun activities that evoke earlier times. Refreshments will be served.

Boone Park Tennis Complex

Boone Park has the city's largest tennis complex, with 14 clay courts, two hard courts, two beat walls, and lights for night play. Anyone who's ever played there knows it's a terrific neighborhood resource, and also incredibly cheap, with court rentals available for just a few dollars an hour, and an annual family membership of $175. It's utilized by some 3,000 players of all ages each month.

With the city facing a tough budget year, however, the Mayor is floating a plan to privatize the facility, as well as the San Marco Tennis Complex; he's looking for a public-private partnership to stretch city dollars for better services. Opponents of the plan worry that a private entity will do little more than jack up fees, without addressing necessary improvements. The City is hosting a meeting to discuss its proposal with interested parties; the date is April 6th at 6 pm in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall.

Image courtesy of Waymarking.