NOCATEE, Fla. — St. Johns County held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 1 for the $42 million Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library. This project marks the final phase of a countywide park plan aimed at expanding public spaces.
The Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library is part of a larger initiative to increase St. Johns County’s public spaces as its population grows. The land for the new facility was made possible through a partnership with the Davis family and the PARC Group, who donated the land.
District Three Commissioner and Board of County Commissioners Chair Clay Murphy, District Four Commissioner Krista Joseph, District One Commissioner Christian Whitehurst and District Five Commissioner and Vice Chair Ann Taylor attended the event.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
County Administrator Joy Andrews highlighted the community impact of such investments. “Parks and libraries are at the heart of strong communities,” Andrews said. “These investments support the well-being of our residents while building the infrastructure that helps families connect, learn and thrive.”
District Three Commissioner and Board of County Commissioners Chair Clay Murphy acknowledged the collaborative effort behind the project. “[This project was] made possible through a partnership with the Davis family and the PARC Group, who donated this land to make this vision a reality,” Murphy said.
The completed Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library is designed to include two multipurpose fields, four softball fields, six pickleball courts, a full-service library and a playground. It is located at 670 Diego Plains Road in Nocatee.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
District Four Commissioner Krista Joseph expressed her enthusiasm for the new facility. “This is going to be a beautiful area with all kinds of recreation,” Joseph said. She added that a free-standing library for Nocatee had been desired for four years, calling the combination of parks and library an “unbelievable concept.”
Ryan Kane, director of the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department, emphasized the project’s long-term community benefits. “This is going to be a place where people come together and gather for generations,” Kane said, stressing the importance of planning it correctly for future generations.
Debra Rhodes Gibson, Director of the St. Johns County Public Library System, spoke about the dual nature of these developments. “These projects carry the weight of providing traditional educational and leisure services balanced with the County’s momentum for modern change,” Gibson said. She also stated that they “represent both continuity and the opportunity of blending two separate but conjoined dreams into one community reality.”
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
The Ponte Vedra Nocatee project is the last of four new sites in the countywide park initiative. The first two, the $36 million Silverleaf Sportsplex and the $12.3 million Shearwater Community Park and Library, broke ground simultaneously in June 2025.
The Silverleaf Sportsplex will feature several natural and synthetic multipurpose fields with lighting and a playground. The Shearwater Community Park and Library will offer indoor and outdoor recreational amenities, including a community center with a library hub, multipurpose rooms and an “airnasium” basketball court, as well as pickleball courts.
The third site, the $23.8 million Greenbriar Park and Library, broke ground on March 10, 2026. This park and library will include two softball fields, two baseball fields, pickleball courts, a playground and a full-service library and community center.
The Shearwater Community Park and Library and the Silverleaf Sportsplex are expected to open in early 2027. The Greenbriar Park and Library is anticipated to open in late 2027.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
