As Thanksgiving rolls around, Jacksonville residents are gearing up for a celebratory pause, but should equally be aware that numerous city facilities will not be available during the holiday. According to an announcement posted on the City of Jacksonville official website, local government offices including City Hall at St. James, the Ed Ball Building, and various other municipal facilities will close doors Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The closures are widespread, affecting not just administrative hubs but also cultural centers and community mainstays. Not only will city-dwellers have to temporarily bid farewell to the Ritz Theatre & Museum visitations, but also to trash pick-up services. In a slight reconfiguration of the weekly routine, the city has decided to swiftly move residential garbage, yard waste, and recycling collection to Saturday, as the regular service will not occur on the holiday.
For those needing assistance or looking to inquire about city services, the Jacksonville 630-CITY Customer Service Center plans to shut down starting Thanksgiving Day and won't reopen until 8 a.m. on Monday. Aid and information seekers are not totally out of luck, though; requests for city services can be submitted online throughout this period.
Book lovers should mark their calendars as well—the Jacksonville Public Library has declared all locations will shutter early at 6 pm the eve of Thanksgiving and will remain closed until dawn breaks on Saturday. Huguenot Memorial Park visitors, on the other hand, can breathe a sigh of relief as the park will stay open during its usual hours, despite erosion troubles causing a bit of needless, yet manageable, havoc on its main road.
For those with a penchant for the outdoors, Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park offers another beacon of normalcy amidst the holiday closures, maintaining its regular schedule with an 8 a.m. opening on Thanksgiving. But, revelers must heed posted times; the park is strict on its 6 p.m. closing for day-users, and campers snagging a spot need to clear check-in by 9 p.m. sharp. The city's full announcement of the closures and schedules can be found by city-dwellers and park-goers alike on the City of Jacksonville website for further reference and planning.
