Chuck Rogers Park
Significance
In August 2008 the Reddick family moved into their new home on Everholly Lane. The back fence of the Everholly lot backed up against the playground of Chuck Rogers Park, and in fact, they had a gate that opened directly to the park.
History
Chuck Rogers Park is located in Mandarin, north of the intersection of San Jose Blvd. and Orange Picker Rd.
Sometime between 1968-1977, a borrow pit was excavated on part of the site, which was later used as a private landfill.
The efforts of the City, Councilman Dick Kravitz, and the Jacksonville Youth Soccer Club led to the purchase of the site in 1995 and its development as Mandarin’s first soccer park, which opened for the inaugural game March 7, 1997. An additional 1.1 acre parcel for the park was donated to the City in 1998.
The park is named for Chuck Rogers (1909-1980), who worked for the Parks and Recreation Department for 41 years. He started and ran the City’s youth leagues in all sports, was the guiding light in the tremendous rise of slow-pitch softball in the City, served for many years as the grand marshal for the City’s parades, and much more. Eventually, Mr. Rogers was inducted into the Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame.
