The Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department and Miami-Dade County District 9 Commissioner Dennis C. Moss broke ground for new amenities at William Randolph Community Park, 11950 SW 228 St., on Aug. 17.
The 10-acre lakefront park is named after William Randolph, an African American pioneer homesteader of South Miami-Dade County who founded the subdivision of Goulds.
The new park amenities will include a paved walking path, various connecting walkways, a parking area, benches, picnic tables, a bicycle rack, shade trees and landscape plants. In addition, the park will receive new access control fencing, and roadway and drainage improvements. A fitness court also is planned for the near future.
The Miami-Dade County Parks Design and Build Team will work with COMTECH Engineering Inc. to complete the park improvements. The total cost for the new park amenities is expected to be $597,000 with funding from the Quality Neighborhoods Improvement Program and impact fees.
In 1900 William Randolph filed a U.S. Homestead Application for a 160-acre tract of land in southern Miami-Dade County, now known as Goulds. He received the property deed 12 years later, during William Howard Taft’s presidency. In July 1920, he and his wife, Ana, platted the Goulds subdivision.
William went on to help other African Americans in his community to become land owners by selling off most of his land very inexpensively or simply giving it away, free of charge. In addition, he donated a five-acre tract to build a school for area youth, which is now home to Pine Villa Elementary School and Mays Middle School.
For directions and more information about William Randolph Community Park, the public can call 305-257-0310 (Homestead Air Reserve Park). For information about Miami-Dade County Parks call 3-1-1, or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks
