JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An eyesore for decades in the Mayport area is getting a new purpose.

City of Jacksonville crews started work on a new park on Mayport Road that will connect it to Hanna Park. It comes at the perfect time for one couple who was out for a bike ride Saturday at Hanna Park.

“This was a celebratory trip for us, getting back to what we did before cancer,” Dion Thomas said.

Thomas says his wife just completed her last radiation treatment and got her cancer free diagnosis. They celebrated by taking a camping trip to Hanna Park  — something they weren’t able to do while she was sick, which means they were finally able to break in their new bikes.

“Something different,” Thomas said. “I like coming out. I used to mountain bike a lot, but this is a little more couple-friendly.”

Thomas will soon be able to take a couple-friendly ride from Hanna Park straight out to Mayport Road.

The City of Jacksonville started work on a new park where some old, unused Hanna Park maintenance buildings sit.

“It’s been an absolute eyesore for years and years, literally for decades, so it’s nice to see it now becoming a beautiful park with elevated trails and all the rest,” Jacksonville City Councilmember Rory Diamond said. “I think people will really like it.”

The park is just North of the Mayport Road intersection with A1A and will have a trail to connect Hanna Park at the major thoroughfare.

Diamond hopes the new connection will tie in well with a mixed-use path FDOT is working on along Mayport Road from the Atlantic Boulevard flyover to Dutton Island Road.

“Mayport Road is exploding right now,” Diamond said. “It’s got all new bars, restaurants, the new path and now a passive park with access to Hanna Park. It’s the place to be. It’s booming down there.”

Thomas says he’s looking forward to having the shortcut for when he and his wife go for a ride to grab dinner while camping at Hanna Park.

“Promote more bicyclists to get more people off the main road, reduce bicyclist fatalities to be honest with you,” Thomas said. “So yeah, it’s a great idea.”

Phase one of the project is expected to wrap up this fall.