City of Fernandina Beach Awarded $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant for Waterfront Playground Project
The City of Fernandina Beach is thrilled to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of a $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant to help fund the construction of a new children’s play structure at the City’s soon-to-be-completed waterfront park in Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach.
The project, titled “Climb Fernandina,” will introduce a dynamic playground feature designed to reflect the community’s unique heritage as both the birthplace of modern shrimping and the site of Florida’s first railroad.
“This children’s play feature will be a delightful addition to the City of Fernandina Beach’s new riverfront improvements,” said Robert Martyn, General Manager of the Hampton Inn & Suites Amelia Island-Historic Harbor Front. “The Climb Fernandina play structure will let children know that Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach is not just for dining and shopping with their parents — it’s for children to play and exercise with other children too! With this structure in place, families will linger longer, creating a sense of family, community, and place.”
The Climb Fernandina structure will feature seating for parents and caregivers, and safe, engaging design elements that celebrate the City’s maritime and rail history. Beyond providing a safe and exciting place for children to play, the playground will serve as an interactive sculpture and gathering space, helping transform a passive park area into a vibrant hub of connection, exploration, and fun.
The City’s selection comes as part of T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants Program, a $25 million, five-year initiative supporting projects that help small towns across America thrive. Each quarter, T-Mobile partners with Main Street America to award up to 25 grants to towns seeking to create or enhance public spaces, revitalize downtown districts, or develop community gathering places that foster civic pride and connection.
Construction of the play structure will coincide with the City’s ongoing Amelia River Waterfront Park improvements, creating a welcoming destination that highlights Fernandina Beach’s historic charm and family-friendly atmosphere.