River Of Grass Greenway Workshops Focus on Education, Sustainability and Involvement
Upcoming Meetings Announced at Everglades City Hall and FIU Modesto Maidique Campus
The Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department in partnership with the National Park Service (Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program), the Naples Pathways Coalition and multiple cities and agencies across south Florida are seeking public input to create a feasibility study and master plan for the River of Grass Greenway (ROGG)-a proposed 75-mile multi-use, non-motorized, paved pathway across the Florida Everglades, between Miami and Naples. The Greenway will provide a recreational and alternative transportation corridor for cycling, walking, wildlife viewing and experiencing the natural beauty of the Everglades like never before. A series of five-day regional community workshops, geographically distributed at locations along the corridor, are being held to allow for broad-based citizen participation. Residents, stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to attend the workshop as much as they are willing or able during open hours. The event is free and open to the public to come and go as they please during posted dates and times.
ROGG Central Community Workshop (S.R. 29 to Miami-Dade County Line) February 26 - March 2 Everglades City Hall 102 Broadway E., Everglades City, FL 34139
ROGG East Community Workshop (Collier County Line to Krome Avenue) March 12 - March 16 Florida International University Modesto A. Maidique Campus PCA - College of Architecture and the Arts / Landscape Architecture Department PCA 135 - Auditorium PCA 341 - Reading / Conference Room 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199
During each workshop, the Consultant Team will study a specific geographic region of the project corridor, solicit the input of citizens and stakeholders, and after gathering information, will flesh out specific design strategies. The workshops are intensive hands-on events that bring people from different disciplines and backgrounds together to explore design options.
According to Miami-Dade County Parks Deputy Director George Navarrete, “Workshops are a great way to engage the public in the process. They are fun and interactive and allow participants to be creative while providing input on their vision for the River of Grass Greenway. It is essentially an urban design studio and a town meeting in which the full spectrum of community issues, opportunities and future alternatives are studied and debated. The goal of the workshop process is to capture the vision, values and ideas of the community and create a plan that is practical and achieves consensus”
Both five-day workshops will include a public kick-off and briefing on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m., open working sessions Wednesday and Thursday from 1-8 p.m., a closed work session for the consultant team on Friday and an open house on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be multiple opportunities for stakeholder interviews and discussions with Consultant Team and Project Team, mapping exercises and information gathering, and plan presentations.
In addition to the two workshops, a comprehensive community engagement website for the project is available for public interaction and feedback at:www.RiverofGrassGreenway.org. The website invites contributors to learn more about the ROGG project, share new ideas, upload photos, expand upon existing ideas, and give feedback on initiatives on a variety of topics related to the project online anytime, anywhere. Feedback from this website will be used by the project sponsors, first to review research done ahead of the project, and to generate feedback on plans. Contribute today and help create a better community by going online!
This project is funded through a Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks grant to the National Park Service (NPS) and is managed by Miami-Dade County Parks Recreation and Open Spaces Department through a cooperative agreement with NPS.
About the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Department:
Nationally accredited, a three-time winner of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award and winner of the 2009 Florida Governor's Sterling Award for excellence in management and operations, Miami-Dade County Parks is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 260 parks and 12,848 acres of land. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world. Made up of more than just playgrounds and athletic fields, it also comprises out-of-school, sports-development, and summer-camp programs; programs for seniors and people with disabilities; educational nature centers and nature preserves; environmental restoration efforts; arts and culture programs and events; the renowned Zoo Miami and the Deering Estate at Cutler; the Crandon Tennis Center, home of the Sony Ericsson Open; golf courses; beaches; marinas; campgrounds; pools; and more. For information about Miami-Dade County Parks call 3-1-1, or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks/.
Miami-Dade County Parks is supported by The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade a non-profit 501(c)3 organization supporting the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department's efforts to further develop Miami-Dade County's world-class parks system for residents and visitors. Its mission is to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable Miami community by ensuring the implementation of the Parks Open Space Master Plan and the development of year-round park and recreation programs for local children, adults and people with disabilities. For more information on the Parks Foundation, please visit www.parksfoundationofmiami-dade.com.
To request material in accessible format, information on access for persons with disabilities, or sign language interpreter services (7 days in advance), call 305-755-7848.