Families are already climbing, exploring and playing at the new Westside Regional Park playground in Hilliard, which opened daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. even after rain forced the county to postpone its formal ribbon-cutting. The playground, located at 615 Lakeside Loop, includes multi-level play structures, a maze and a birthday pavilion for celebrations.
According to Nassau County, FL, the community was thanked for its patience throughout the playground project, and the county said families were already out playing and exploring the new equipment. The playground's marquee feature is a set of climbing towers that reach more than 30 feet, part of multi-level universally accessible play structures designed so that children of varying physical abilities can reach elevated play levels, according to The County Insider.
Rain Washes Out Friday's Ribbon-Cutting
Nassau County had scheduled an informal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the playground for Friday, September 4, at 3:30 p.m., but rain caused a postponement, the same County Insider report notes. County communications officer Sabrina Robertson had announced the play day as a way to thank residents for their patience during construction, per the outlet's reporting. A new date for the ceremony had not been set as of this reporting.
Ahead of the event, Nassau County published an official Sunshine Law notice on September 3 advising the public that two or more county commissioners might attend the ribbon-cutting, according to First Coast Observer. Florida law requires advance public disclosure whenever multiple commissioners gather in a setting where county business could come up, the outlet explains.
Rules Emphasize Supervision and Safety
Posted playground rules require adult supervision at all times and direct users to use the equipment as intended, per signage shared by Nassau County. Climbing on top of structures, rails, fences or roofs is prohibited, as is rough play or unsafe behavior. The rules also ban glass containers, pets on the equipment or in the playground area, and bicycles, scooters, skateboards or motorized devices within the play areas.
Smoking, vaping, alcohol and drugs are also prohibited on the playground, and users are asked to keep the area clean and free of litter. The county's posted rules state that use of the playground is at the user's own risk and that Nassau County is not responsible for injuries or accidents. Violations are subject to removal and enforcement under Nassau County ordinance.
The Final Piece of a $22 Million Park
The playground is the last major component of a 107-acre regional park development carrying a total project budget of $22 million, according to the Nassau County government's own project materials, which describe the park as designed to serve western communities including Hilliard, Callahan and Bryceville. General construction management for the facility was handled by McCall Construction Management, per Nassau Community Press, with the project built in phases following community input sessions.
The broader park officially opened months earlier, on June 6, 2026, during a Party in the Pines celebration headlined by country singer Corey Smith, though the playground itself was not yet finished at that time, the County Insider reported. That grand-opening event featured local vendors, sports clinics and a drone light show, according to the same outlet's coverage.
Fields, an Amphitheater and a Lake Round Out the Park
Elsewhere on the property, the park's athletic zone includes three FIFA-regulation multipurpose fields planted with more than 275,000 square feet of TifTuff Bermuda grass and lit by Musco LED sports lighting, engineered to accommodate regional tournaments with dedicated food truck pads, per county project materials. The park also introduces facilities new to Nassau County, including its first dedicated outdoor amphitheater stage and a covered airnasium for basketball, volleyball and pickleball that shields players from sun and rain, according to Nassau Community Press.
In August, the county installed a WakeRack self-service kiosk at the park to offer automated kayak and paddleboard rentals on its 7-acre lake, with rentals including safety gear and requiring online reservations before arrival, per the County Insider's recreation coverage. Westside Regional Park is one piece of a wider countywide parks push that also includes the $6.9 million Tributary Regional Park, funded through a public-private partnership, according to county officials, with park expansion across Nassau County financed through developer impact fees and public-private capital agreements.
