Legislative Matter

Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 130601

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Clerk's Official Copy

File Number: 130601

File Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted

Version: 0

Reference: R-375-13

Control: County Commission

File Name: FEASIBILITY FOR SENIOR ZONES

Introduced: 3/27/2013

Requester: NONE

Cost:

Final Action: 5/7/2013

Agenda Date: 5/7/2013

Agenda Item Number: 11A15

Notes:

Title:

RESOLUTION DIRECTING COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF DESIGNATING AREAS AT REGIONAL COUNTY PARKS AS ''SENIOR ZONES'' AND INSTALLING WITHIN THESE AREAS OUTDOOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND TO REPORT FINDINGS TO BOARD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS IN WRITTEN REPORT

Indexes:

SENIOR CITIZENS

Sponsors:	Sen. Javier D. Souto, Prime Sponsor
	Lynda Bell, Co-Sponsor
	Esteban L. Bovo, Jr., Co-Sponsor
	Rebeca Sosa, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision: No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners	5/7/2013	11A15	Adopted				P
REPORT:	Hearing no comments or questions, the Board members proceeded to vote on the foregoing proposed resolution as presented.

Cultural Affairs & Recreation Committee	4/8/2013	2C	Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation				P
REPORT:	Assistant County Attorney Daniel Frastai read the foregoing proposed resolution into the record. Chairman Souto noted parks in other countries contained areas with basic machines and equipment that senior citizens used to exercise. As requested by Chairman Souto, a moment of silence was observed for the late Police Major Schimminger, who had passed away recently. The Chairman advised that he wanted a special recognition presentation in honor of Major Schimminger. Chairman Souto noted the Major began as a lieutenant in the Westchester area, then became a major, then was put in charge of the police internal review panel, and then went to work for the City of Miami Beach after having a heart attack. Chairman Souto noted the purpose of this item was to separate young people from senior citizens during exercise, because the combination was not beneficial. He said the zones would enable seniors to talk with each other. The Chairman commented that a competition could be set up in which County employees developed ideas for the types of machines that could be built. He noted objects no longer being used could be utilized for exercise, and the machines did not have to be complicated. Commissioner Monestime observed that these senior zones would help the seniors save money, because they would not have to pay gym fees. In response to a comment from Chairman Souto regarding observing children use exercise equipment at a park in Liberty City that he and Mr. Jack Kardys, Director, Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS), visited a couple of months ago, Mr. Kardys noted that was the Marva Y. Bannerman Park. He clarified for the Chairman that the Bannerman Park was fairly small and parents who frequented the park wanted the ability to watch their children on the playground while they exercised; therefore, the equipment was placed near the playground. He noted when this demand was not present, and when possible, the equipment was placed further away from the playground. Mr. Kardys said that seniors used the Bannerman park equipment before 1 PM, usually approximately between 7 and 8 AM; and children used the equipment during an after school Fit2Play program. Mr. Kardys indicated that equipment designated for fitness zones had been placed in eight other parks, including Oak Grove Park. He explained that the equipment was state-of-the-art and hydraulic; and it was similar to equipment in some of the City of Miami’s parks, including Kennedy Park. Mr. Kardys explained that the equipment was bought using monies provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as Trust Public Lands (TPL) impact fee money provided through a partnership with the TPL. Chairman Souto asked Mr. Kardys as much as possible, to place exercise equipment in parks away from playgrounds and other areas where children and teenagers congregated, going forward. He also asked Mr. Kardys to aggressively solicit funding for the proposed “senior zones” from all types of companies, including medical and insurance companies; and to display or otherwise publicly recognize those companies that provided funding. Mr. Kardys indicated agreement with Chairman Souto. He said that United Healthcare paid $50,000 (50 percent of the cost) of the Bannerman park equipment, which showed that a market existed for health companies to contribute to the fitness zones. Mr. Kardys noted PROS would continue to solicit funding from health companies. Hearing no further discussion, the Committee members proceeded to vote on the foregoing proposed resolution, as presented.

County Attorney	3/27/2013		Assigned	Miguel A. Gonzalez		3/28/2013

County Attorney	3/27/2013		Referred	Cultural Affairs & Recreation Committee	4/8/2013

Legislative Text

TITLE
RESOLUTION DIRECTING COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF DESIGNATING AREAS AT REGIONAL COUNTY PARKS AS ''SENIOR ZONES'' AND INSTALLING WITHIN THESE AREAS OUTDOOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND TO REPORT FINDINGS TO BOARD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS IN WRITTEN REPORT

BODY
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has a large population of elderly residents; and
WHEREAS, being outdoors and in County parks provides both physical and mental health benefits to persons of all ages; and
WHEREAS, the County�s senior citizens and elderly residents would benefit from being more active and healthy in an outdoor setting; and
WHEREAS, one way to encourage and facilitate outdoor exercise and activities for senior citizens would be to designate in each of the County�s regional parks, provided space is available, an area for senior citizens (''Senior Zones'') and to develop and install within these Senior Zones outdoor exercise equipment that is tailored and geared towards the elderly population; and
WHEREAS, these Senior Zones would be akin to the popular tot lots the County has at parks for young children, except it would be tailored towards senior citizens; and
WHEREAS, the concept of Senior Zones is popular in European parks and Senior Zones in County regional parks, based on the European model of an open area, no shelters or structures with covered roofs, and low-cost equipment, would be in the best interest of the County; and
WHEREAS, therefore, this Board desires to have the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee study the feasibility, to include but not be limited to, issues of capacity, demand, and cost, of designating areas at regional County parks as Senior Zones and installing within these areas outdoor exercise equipment tailored towards senior citizens,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board directs the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee to study the feasibility, to include but not be limited to, issues of capacity, demand, and cost, of designating areas at regional County parks as Senior Zones and installing within these areas outdoor exercise equipment tailored towards senior citizens and to report the findings and results of the feasibility study to this Board within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this Resolution via a written report.