ORANGE PARK, Fla — Do you think Orange Park is struggling with an "identity crisis?"
That's how the Town of Orange Park phrases the city's situation in its planning project to "reimagine" it.
This week, city leaders want to hear from residents and business owners regarding what they think Orange Park should be like in the future.
According to Vice Mayor Winnette Sandlin, Orange Park could get a town square near the town hall. Sandlin said that the town square could look different from other town squares.
The Vision 2040 project is currently in the brainstorming phase with the public, and artist illustrations bring some ideas to life.
One big challenge they face - the busy roads that divide the town.
“We will work around it and we have other plans and other ideas of things we would like to do for our town," said Sandlin. "For our small town feel that in fact takes into account that U.S. 17 isn't going anywhere, it goes right through our space.”
Several small business owners said they want the "small town feel" and hidden gems in the town to be front and center. They added they don't want Orange Park to be a place you drive through to get somewhere else.
“We know that people come in," said Talitha Chestnut, owner of House of Dazzle Boutique. "When you think about the Fall Festival, the thousands of people that come in from all over, imagine that. That's what I imagine. Clay County or Orange Park township, specifically, to be that this is a destination.”
Chestnut and Mimi Goode are a mother-daughter small business duo in Orange Park. It’s a similar story for Linda Pritchard’s business, Spiritual Uplifts; her family is also involved in her business.
Both Chestnut and Pritchard were involved in a meeting earlier this year to discuss the town’s future.
"Everyone that comes in here, we always try to give them a peace of mind and make them feel at home," said Pritchard. "And that's what I'd like to see. Where people go everyone knows each other like all the small businesses here. We all know each other and support each other. And we brought them Christmas cookies this year, all the other small businesses around us."
Here's the schedule for community input sessions at the town hall this week:
- July 8: 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Public Kickoff Meeting
- July 9: 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. - Walk Audit; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Public Input Office Hours
- July 10: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Local Business Owner Meeting
- July 11: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. - Wrap-Up Session