Renovated Community Park Provides a Safe Haven for Kids

Coaches at Yancey Park describe the space as a safe haven for kids in their challenged urban community. 

“There's nothing in the world like the park,” said Rev. Aaron Flagg who began coaching at Yancey in the 1980s and continues bringing structure and mentorship to the teenaged boys on his teams. In addition to football, the park hosts youth baseball, softball and cheerleading teams. 

The park’s legacy includes players like NFL great Brian Dawkins, who found his love of football at Yancey Park. Dawkins gave the park a shout-out the during his Hall of Fame induction speech. 

“I was blessed to live around the corner from Yancey Park, Dawkins recalled. “That’s where I spent a lot of time staying out of trouble.” 

Community leaders recently celebrated a rebirth at the 70-year-old park that's provided a safe place to play for generations of Ribault Hills kids. With help from LISC Jacksonville, the Jaguars and the NFL Foundation, Yancey Park received $100,000 each from the City of Jacksonville and the NFL Foundation's Grassroots program in needed renovations. It was the twelfth such neighborhood park project that LISC Jacksonville and the Jaguars completed. 

The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program is a partnership between the Foundation and LISC aimed at improving the quality, safety and accessibility of local playing fields. The program funded the Yancey Park project that was managed by LISC Jacksonville and Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corporation. 

Yancey Park's renovations included new Bermuda grass turf fields with laser grading, a state-of-the-art irrigation system and a new scoreboard. For coaches and community leaders, the changes couldn’t come soon enough. 

Flagg said the renovations have sparked positive changes. “This park is where people come together,” he said. “It’s a catalyst for community building and helping neighbors. When I heard we were finally getting improvements here for the kids, I just looked up and thanked God.”

The Rev. Aaron Flagg.