J Magazine Winter 2018

“An aquarium
would be a great
way to jumpstart all
of the other things
that everyone wants
to see in Downtown.”
Sharon Piltz
president of AquaJax
To Sharon Piltz, the president
of AquaJax — the nonprofit
group tirelessly working to
bring a world-class aquarium
to Downtown Jacksonville
— the case for having such a
facility is pretty clear.
Indeed, it is as clear as a
transparent jellyfish (one of
the creatures you might see
in a Downtown Jacksonville
aquarium).
“An aquarium would be a great way to jumpstart all of the
other things that everyone wants to see in Downtown,” Piltz
said. “We’re surrounded by water in this city. It just makes
sense.”
To Dan Maloney, deputy director of animal care and
conservation at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens — which
would run and manage a Downtown aquarium as a zoo sister
facility — the benefits of a marquee aquarium in Jacksonville’s
center are numerous.
38 J MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018-19
GEORGIA AQUARIUM