Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library

• 14 May 2026
• Category: SJC News Parks and Recreation Public Library System
• Tags: 2026

The $42 million project is the last phase of a countywide park plan 

On May 1, St. Johns County held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $42 million construction of Northeast Community Park and Library, formally named Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library. The Office of Public Affairs produced a video to commemorate the event.

District 3 Commissioner and Board of County Commissioners Chair Clay Murphy, District 4 Commissioner Krista Joseph, District 1 Commissioner Christian Whitehurst, and District 5 Commissioner and Vice Chair Ann Taylor attended the ceremony, along with various St. Johns County administrators and staff and several area locals.

“[This project was] made possible through a partnership with the Davis family and the PARC Group, who donated this land to make this vision a reality,” said Chair Murphy. “I want to thank our Board of County Commissioners, the County staff, our community partners, and everyone who helped move this project from concept to construction.”

“This is going to be a beautiful area with all kinds of recreation,” Commissioner Joseph said. “We have wanted a free-standing library for Nocatee for four years… to combine the parks and library, is that not an unbelievable concept?”

Once completed, Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library (670 Diego Plains Road, Nocatee) is set to include two multipurpose fields, four softball fields, six pickleball courts, a full-service library, and a playground.

“[This] is going to be a place where people come together and gather for generations… to make sure we got it right was so important,” said Ryan Kane, director of the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department. “Putting the team together… to plan this right [for] future generation of St. Johns County who are coming out here to play ball, participate, spectate, use the library, [or] just walk the park and enjoy the green space.”

“These projects carry the weight of providing traditional educational and leisure services balanced with the County’s momentum for modern change,” said Debra Rhodes Gibson, Director of the St. Johns County Public Library System. “They represent both continuity and the opportunity of blending two separate but conjoined dreams into one community reality.”

Ponte Vedra Nocatee Regional Park and Nocatee Library is part of a countywide park initiative to expand St. Johns County’s public spaces as its population grows. It represents the last of four new sites, with the first two (the Silverleaf Sportsplex and the Shearwater Community Park and Library) breaking ground simultaneously in June 2025, and the third (Greenbriar Park and Library) breaking ground on March 10, 2026.

The Silverleaf Sportsplex is a $36 million regional athletic facility designed to support a variety of sports, events, and community programming. It will include several multipurpose fields (both natural and synthetic) with lighting, a playground, and more.

The $12.3 million Shearwater Community Park and Library will provide a mix of indoor and outdoor recreational amenities, including a community center with a library hub and multipurpose rooms, an “airnasium” basketball court, pickleball courts, and more.

The $23.8 million Greenbriar Park and Library is set to include two softball fields, two baseball fields, pickleball courts, a playground, and a full-service library and community center.

Both the Shearwater and Silverleaf sites are expected to open in early 2027, while Greenbriar is expected to open in late 2027.

“Parks and libraries are at the heart of strong communities,” said Joy Andrews, County Administrator. “These investments support the well-being of our residents while building the infrastructure that helps families connect, learn, and thrive.”