It’s that time of year. People want to be outside, and many days in South Florida, the weather cooperates beautifully. That was the case on Saturday, May 17th when families streamed into Heritage Park to celebrate Kids to Parks Day with the rest of America. There were hula hoops to spin, a water feature and two playgrounds to play on, kites to fly, music to listen to, kid crafts to enjoy, bounce houses to conquer and food for sale.
This annual day, designated by the National Park Trust, is designed to raise awareness of the park resources provided at the local, state and national level. The Trust believes that areas need to be identified as key land dedicated to future public use. They also believe that
current parks should be earmarked for preservation and that all the parks must be promoted to the citizens. It has also been a goal of the Trust “to engage young people with our treasured natural areas,” building greater awareness in the next generation of our shared and unique American heritage. Our parks are available for families to get out into the open spaces, get some exercise and breathe in the fresh air of the outdoors.
The City of Sunny Isles Beach and the National Park Trust have a similar mission. The SIB City Commission set a goal early on to build parks within walking distance of all our residents. Most recently, Intracoastal Parks opened at the south end of the city at 16100 Collins Avenue. And work is well underway on the city’s next large open space, Gateway Park, at 151 Sunny Isles Boulevard. The park will feature the kind of amenities families can enjoy and will also provide another wonderful venue for city concerts and events.
Remember to take advantage of your own parks where you live and shared park spaces when you travel. Visit our Photo Gallery at sibfl.net to view additional photos of this and other city events.
