HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Commissioner Joe Carollo-Miami Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins LetterEILEEN HIGGINS
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER
DISTRICT 5
November 7, 2019
City of Miami
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
Subject: Support for Play Streets as Part of 5tn Street Project
To whom it may concern:
Submitted into the public
`
record fo ite
on 'L 12 City Clerk
I write to express my strong support for Play Streets in the City of Miami, as part of the 5th Street Project
which is being implemented by Urban Impact Lab (UI Lab), and supported by the Health Foundation
of South Florida, Live Healthy Little Havana (LHLH), the Office of Commissioner Joe Carollo, and my
office.
According to the Trust for Public Land (2017), Little Havana residents lack the recommended access
to open space and parks, and are "park -starved" by 35%, a significant deficit of open space per
resident. That's why in the recently released "Little Havana Me Importa" Revitalization Master Plan, a
strategy to address this deficit includes the expansion of "Play Street Initiatives". Play Streets,
which have been incorporated successfully in many U.S. and European cities for decades, are the
temporary closure of streets, that for a specified time period (around 3-5 hours) create a safe,
publicly accessible space for children, adolescents, and their families to engage in active play and
healthy activity programs.
Knowing that UI Lab had already successfully implemented PlayFamilias in Little Havana in
partnership with ConnectFamilas and The Children's Trust, you can only imagine my excitement
when asked to partner on a Play Street on 5th Street — which as you know, cuts Jose Marti Park in half.
Since elected, 5th Street has remained a great concern to me, having very little use except for
speeding cars only made worse by limited lighting. Altogether, it feels unsafe to park users,
residents, families, and children. While even I hesitate walking on 5t' Street, I know it has
great potential.
While we wait for a Play Street designation, pilot activities on 5th Street have begun in order to measure
community interest and build momentum. Through Special Event Permits, weekly community Zumba
classes have already begun and attracted dozens of attendees. More can be done too; many groups are
willing to organize and offer regular youth and adult active programs in the coming months and years. A
Play Street designation will ensure that all types of healthy activities are available to Little Havana
residents of all ages.
1 believe strongly in Play Streets and hope you will consider approving this quick and low-cost way to
create a vibrant publicly -accessible space that supports the health and wellbeing of our community,
strengthens our residents' connections to each other, and effectively improves our public assets.
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Support for Play Streets
Page 2
Looking forward to seeing some of my friends at the City at the next Zumba class.
Sincerely,
Eileen Higgins
County Commissioner, District 5
Submitted into the pub is
record for ite s) _ t - 1
on ` City Clerk
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