Commissioner John E. Aleman April 2018 Newsletter

 Did you know about this quaint little public park in the heart of South Beach? One Ocean Park affords a serene oasis that is below the radar screen for a quiet respite.

Previously 2,000 square feet, the pavilion was constructed to attain LEED gold-certification and is now double its original size. Features include a kitchen, storage space, bathrooms and drinking fountains. Equipping park users with a practical activity space, rain or shine, the facility’s large four-fold doors allow the pavilion to operate as either an open-air or air-conditioned space.

The handicap-accessible picnic table area and playground further complement the space, providing people of all abilities an opportunity to enjoy the park. Circling the large playing field, the new concrete walkways, updated fencing, fresh swing sets, landscaping and irrigation upgrades add to the park’s functionality and aesthetic.

Additionally, the new handicap-accessible playgrounds are separated based on age level, serving as a dedicated space for children ages two through five and five to twelve.

Preserving the waterfront park for generations to come, the old seawall was replaced with a hybrid, living shoreline structure.

The City mobilized their commitment to providing a better quality of life for special populations by constructingSabrina’s Playground, the first fully ADA accessible playground at Allison Park,6500 Collins Avenue.

Designed with residents and visitors with disabilities in mind, the pour-in-place safety surface features earth tones and incorporates a pattern that dictates walking paths from safety zones for improved safety and maneuverability.

Allison Park is also the home of Adaptive Beach Days, a seasonal beach program offered by the Sabrina Cohen Foundation with support from the City. The program provides disabled individuals, veterans, children with special needs and the elderly access to the beach using a platform of decks and mats over the sand, beach wheelchairs, and specialized staff/volunteers.

Adaptive Beach Days are every 1^stand 3^rd Sunday of the month – come join in the fun for all!

The popular 9^th Street fitness area at Lummus Park, commonly referred to as muscle Beach, just got a full makeover. Combining arts and fitness, the park now features a complete outdoor gym in two iconic installations: The Leopard Tree and MyBeast. These functional structures collectively feature over 30 workout components. The first of its kind to be featured in a public park in the United States, the installation of this high-end fitness equipment will redefine the workout experience, bring art and functionality to the beach, and be fully accessible to visitors and residents alike.

Other improvements at Lummus Park include 114 new dimmable LED lighting, which provides direct light to improve visibility while reducing the amount of light visible from the beach. The lighting retrofits serve as a long-term strategy for better protecting our native sea turtle population by substantially reducing light pollution in the areas with the highest disorientation incidents during the sea turtle season. As the city continues planning, designing and constructing projects along the beachfront, sea turtle friendly fixtures will replace existing lights on public property.

Lastly, Lummus Park is now home to the first Woosh station that delivers purified, cold water with no plastic bottle waste.

The new Belle Isle Park Playground opened this past February. The new play structure features a tot lot for children aged 2-5 and a playground for children aged 5-12, two spinning play components, shade structure and swing set. Other improvements include fencing, landscaping, trash receptacles and benches.

Formerly known as North Shore Open Space Park, North Beach Oceanside Park (Collins and 85th Street) received a donation this past December from the Miami Association of Realtors: new dog agility equipment which was installed at the North Beach Oceanside Park “Bark Park.”

The park has agility equipment for both big and small pooches and has been embraced with open paws!

A Master Plan was approved for the park in 2017, and is on the possible projects list for funding by the General Obligation Bond (GO Bond) that will be put to the voters in November 2018:

Scope of Work

Circulation and Lighting

Gateways

Planting

Program Enhancements

Visit the park’s newly updated webpage for more information!

Polo Park at 4301 North Michigan Avenue has been made into a Smoke-Free park and had renovations to its baseball diamond.

A new chilled water fountain is on the way, and discussions are underway to possibly add perimeter security fencing, pending agreement with the surrounding community stakeholders.

The city held an official ground-breaking ceremony today for the Altos del Mar Park project, which to be completed over the next six months!

The park at 7601 Atlantic Way will add over 25,000 square feet of canopy and include terraced seating, a defined entry plaza, restroom facility and open lawn areas.

Additional installations include a new playground, sand volleyball courts, pedestrian beach access, new restrooms, and a turtle-friendly lighting system.

Throughout construction, the city will preserve existing trees and develop the landscape further with the planting of Florida Native species.

The space is the last remaining undeveloped oceanfront land parcel in Miami Beach. The project is expected to be complete by November 2018.

The 20th Pocked Park project is in its early planning stages. Earlier last month, the City requested that the consultant for the project provide two or three concepts for the area. One of the concepts being prepared includes a unique art installation which could also serve as an interactive playground for children. Stay tuned for more information!

The City is working on a partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to create additional park and soccer field space which can be utilized by the school during school hours and by city residents during the evenings and weekends.

Additionally, the shared path project adjacent to Biscayne Elementary is part of a larger project, sponsored by the City’s Transportation Department. The project includes the replacement of the existing path adjacent to Biscayne Elementary, with updated lighting, and a buffered bike lane eastward along 75^th street, from the school to Dickens Avenue, where it will connect to the existing buffered bike lane. It will also include sharrows from Dickens Avenue westward along 73^rd street, into Parkview Island, and north along Wayne Avenue to the pedestrian bridge at the southwest corner of the school.

Whether you are a Miami Beach resident or a business owner in our community, my office is here to help! Our door is always open, so feel free to stop by or e-mail me at johnaleman@miamibeachfl.gov.

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