Miami-Dade Parks, Miami-Dade Public Works and Waste Management And Miami-Dade District 3 Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson Announce The Grand Re-Opening Of Olinda Park

The Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, the Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department (PWWM) and Miami-Dade County District 3 Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson announce the Grand Re-Opening of Olinda Park, located at 2101 NW 51 Street, Miami.  Residents are invited to join them at the park at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2013 for the ribbon-cutting ceremonies, followed by a host of fun, family-style festivities.  There will be music, a kids bounce house, free pop-corn and snow cones, and flag football and volleyball competitions. And, don't miss the Miami-Dade Police Department's helicopter and crime prevention bus tours! Parents will also have an opportunity to register their kids for Miami-Dade County Parks' Fit2Play, Green-It-Up Summer Camp program. The park re-opens after a two-year improvement project that involved soil remediation and facility updates.

"I am proud of the hard work undertaken by our Parks, Public Works and Waste Management, and Regulatory and Economic Resources Departments.  The revitalization of this site shows our commitment to the health and well-being of the residents and visitors we serve," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.
 
"To what began as a health concern to those residents and surrounding areas of the Park, in the end, residents of District 3 and Miami-Dade County will be able to play, participate in recreational activities and relax in a park that is safe from contamination," said Commissioner Edmonson. "Residents and their children have eagerly-awaited this day. I am excited for the grand opening and all its new features for all to enjoy."

"Throughout the clean-up and recovery effort, we worked closely with residents to update the park's amenities and add new ones that better serve the neighborhood's needs. We are pleased to have this park open to the public," said Miami-Dade County Parks Director Jack Kardys.

"This project is very important to the community and was a great collaborative effort between the Parks, Public Works and Waste Management and Regulatory and Economic Resources Departments and the Office of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson," said Miami-Dade County PWWM Director Kathleen Woods-Richardson.

The 6.4-acre park has been closed for the past two years to facilitate soil cleanup and park upgrade activities. The soil remediation effort, headed-up by PWWM, consisted of the removal and proper disposal of contaminated soil and the placement of a geo-synthetic clay liner (GCL) overlaid with two or more feet of clean fill.  As part of the facility updates the park's 4,700-square-foot playground was covered with artificial turf and has a new 36-foot by 48-foot shade canopy manufactured by Shade Systems. The nearby recreation center was pressure-cleaned and painted; cabinets were repaired and roofing upgrades were made. It also received a new air conditioning system, new lighting fixtures, new acoustical ceiling tiles, and new floor tiles. The park also replaced aging water and sewer lines, and upgraded its drainage and irrigation systems.

New amenities for this park include a new expanded perimeter lighted walkway and a new expanded lighted parking lot that features "LED" high efficiency lighting fixtures, a new 46-foot by 80-foot multi-purpose court, new basketball court lighting, new basketball court bleachers, new high efficiency sports court lighting fixtures, new park benches, new barbecue grills, new ADA accessible picnic tables, a new bike rack, a new "open play" recreational sports field, and a new Fitness Court. 

The new Fitness Court features outdoor strength training and cardio exercise equipment manufactured by Greenfields Outdoor Fitness.  The exercise equipment includes a Cross Country Ski, a Sit-Up Bench, a Pendulum, an Abs Crunch, a Pull-Up and Dip Station, Horizontal Bars, a Vertical Press, a Lateral Pull-Down, a Chest Press, a Leg Press, and an Elliptical.  This marks the 11th park site where this type of modern exercise equipment has been installed in the Miami-Dade County Parks system. 

The total cost for this improvement project was $2,236,000. Funds were provided through the Quality Neighborhood Improvement Program, a Community Development Block Grant, Capital Outlay Reserve Funds, a Utility Service Fee, and Impact Fees.

For directions and information about activities and programs at Olinda Park, visit www.miamidade.gov or call 305-633-4066.

About the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and 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 12,825 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 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.miamidade.gov/parks_foundation.

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