As soon as this fall, a park in northeast Miami-Dade will have new bleachers, lighting, turf, and even Wi-Fi on its soccer field.
The soccer field at Oak Grove Park in North Miami is closed as of Jan. 24, but Maria Nardi, Director for Miami Dade County Parks, said the renovations should be wrapped up by this fall.
A groundbreaking celebration was held Friday at the park, where Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and District 2 Commisioner Jean Monestime highlighted the importance of investing in parks.
“We need to incorporate technology into everything we do because that’s good for the children,” said Monestime. "If they use the park they come here to work out and they can sit around and work and do their homework as well. That’s a great thing. But it’s not just the children, it's young adults, it’s the seniors that you see here, it’s everyone."
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Levine Cava also spoke about the importance of all the skills children can learn from playing sports aside from their physical well-being.
"It’s going to draw young people, they're going to learn the sport, but also learn teamwork, they’re going to learn leadership skills," she said. “Maybe we’ll have the next Pelé, right here."
Nardi said a survey revealed that county residents prioritize parks, and believe government should invest in them for the long-term health of the community.
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“The community loves to play soccer on that field,” said Nardi. “It gets a lot of use."
