JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Northeast Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club is celebrating Earth Day with a hike through Historic Durkeeville.
The 1.8-mile hike is inspired by local filmmaker Dana Maule, the creator of "Moncrief Springs: The Movie." The hiking experience is free and includes destinations featured in her documentary film about Moncrief Springs.
The film won’t be complete until Fall of 2024, but Maule is taking every opportunity to engage the community around the film’s message. The documentary reveals how tourism in urban areas can preserve and help save Black history. Maule, also a member of the NEFL Sierra Club, is combining her passion for environmental justice and social justice through the film and that’s how the idea was sparked for the urban hike.
Bill Snow, NEFL Sierra Club Board of Directors, is collaborating with Maule because he was inspired by her enthusiasm for conservation on Jacksonville’s Northside. He is interested in activating more Northside parks, and educating people about the impact of environmental threats in marginalized communities.
The urban hike will follow a route along Myrtle Avenue including parts of the Emerald Trail’s S-line. Historic sites like Mt. Ararat Baptist Church will be featured along the trail. It is known for its semi-gothic architecture and is the only church in Jacksonville that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited in 1961.
The hike will continue to the J.P. Small Baseball stadium where Hank Aaron broke the color barrier when he joined the Jacksonville Braves, a minor league team in the South Atlantic League. The hike ends at Emmet Reed Park which features a tennis court built in 2002 in partnership with the Mal Vai Kids Foundation.
Participants can sign up using Meetup.com and this address.
Maule encourages hikers to bring their families to celebrate Earth Day in one of Jacksonville’s most historically significant neighborhoods. Maule says, “While there will be plenty of stories to share about all the hidden gems in Durkeeville, we want everyone to enjoy the sunshine and embody the natural beauty within Jacksonville’s urban core.”
Anyone can be a member of the NEFL Sierra Club. For a limited time, you can join online for $15. Regular membership dues are $25. You don’t have to be a member to join any of the free outings with the Sierra Club.
The hike begins at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday April 20th and will begin at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, located at 2503 N. Myrtle Ave.