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Back when my grown sons were boys, we spent most of our days at Chapman Field.
Between football and baseball, we were out there in the dirt every day. We were either practicing or playing a game. I coached lots of teams and lived for the competition. Those are great memories.
Now that the 483-acre Chapman Field on the southern edge of Coral Gables has reopened one regulation baseball field and is preparing to open two more, all those feelings are rushing back. I’m so proud of Miami-Dade County that Chapman Field is again creating memories for residents that will last a lifetime.
But it wasn’t easy getting here. This story of Chapman Field, at 13601 Deering Bay Dr., has taken 10 years to be told.
Including mangrove forests and saltwater estuaries, Chapman Field was found to be contaminated with arsenic in 2014 and closed. In 2017, Miami-Dade Parks succeeded in obtaining funds for the remediation project and embarked on a journey to revitalize this park for the community’s enjoyment.
Chapman’s phoenix-like rise includes fields that are engineered to withstand sea-level rise with advanced elevation and drainage systems. The first ballfield opened in 2023, with the sound of children and adults returning to the park for the first time in nearly a decade.
There is also a T-ball/coach pitch field and a multipurpose field, both opening in January 2025. Plus, there is a big — and I mean big — dog park spanning 3.5 acres designed to appeal to residents of all ages and their furry best friends.
The park also features resurfaced sidewalks and roadways, nature trails, and a canoe/kayak launch with a recently renovated parking lot accommodating 32 vehicles. Plans for replacing the floating dock are set for spring 2025.
The park also hosts nature-based outdoor programming, including Miami EcoAdventure kayak trips, opportunities for the community to participate in international coastal cleanup day, and other conservation-focused volunteer experiences.
The reopening also gives me a chance to revisit the history of the park, which was an Army airfield in World War I. The field was named after Victor Chapman, the first pilot to die in France during the war.
So, to say that I’m excited is an understatement. Chapman Field’s return is a success story for Miami-Dade County and all of us whose quality of life is now better because it is back bigger and better than before.
Thank you, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Commissioner Raquel Regalado for getting it done and Miami-Dade Parks for being an unsung hero in our county 365 days of the year.
I encourage you to get out there and create your own memories at Chapman Field today.
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