Walter Anderson Park & Playground

About Walter Anderson Memorial Park
Walter Anderson Memorial Park is located in the Mandarin area of southeast Jacksonville, near the intersection of Flynn and Orange Picker Roads.

In 2019, the park was renamed after Walter W. Anderson, a lifelong Mandarin resident, a World War II veteran, a retired Civil Servant with 37 years of service, and a prominent figure in the African-American community. From the early 1800s, the African-American community in the Mandarin area had a very large footprint and like most places in America during the time of segregation, they had limited access to include recreational facilities. In 1955, Mr. Anderson donated four acres of land deeded “for park purposes only" to the County so that African Americans would have a place for recreation. In 1956, Mr. Anderson facilitated the County’s purchase of an additional two acres for expansion of the park to its current state. The park served as one of the main gathering places for the African-American community. Additionally, the park served as the home field to the Mandarin Raiders baseball team, an African-American sandlot team who hosted teams from all over Jacksonville and neighboring counties well into the mid-1980s. The park continues to serve as a gathering place for community events, picnics, sports events for children, youth, and adults today and well into the future.

Available Amenities
Baseball
Basketball
Benches
Multipurpose Field
Parking
Pickleball
Picnic Tables
Playground
Restrooms
Trash Barrels