JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Construction equipment was been dropped off outside the gates of Springfield Park Tuesday, leaving some to wonder if the confederate monument in the park is coming down.
Removing the Women of the Southland statue in Springfield Park is something organizers with 'Take Em Down Jax' have been calling on for nearly a decade.
“I think it's absolutely the right thing to do to help heal and bring the city together. I think it's a step in the direction of truth and reconciliation, as it has to do with the African American community and the white community," Todd Wells, with Take ‘Em Down Jax, said.
Former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry promised to have the 11 confederate statues and markers removed in 2020, but since then, only a statue honoring a Confederate soldier in James Weldon Johnson Park had been removed. That happened in the middle of the night with no head ups.
On Tuesday, two cherry pickers and a heavy duty crane were left at Springfield Park. After hearing about the equipment, organizers with 'Take Em Down Jax' reached out to city leaders trying to determine if the city is moving forward with removal or something else is happening at the park.
“We don't know what those pieces of equipment are for. But we're hoping for taking down the statute. We think the mayor would be doing the right thing to take this statue down. For what it's worth," Wells said.
Current Mayor Donna Deegan included half-a million for the Confederate Monument Removal, Relocation, Remaining & Renaming in her budget.
First Coast News did reach out to the mayor's office, but have not heard back as offices are closed for the holidays.