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File ID: #18829
Ordinance
Sponsored by: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
38/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION/IN GENERAL", BY CREATING SECTION 38-41,
TITLED "NAMING OF FACILITIES AT ELIZABETH VIRRICK PARK"; MORE
SPECIFICALLY, NAMING THE AQUATIC FACILITY AT ELIZABETH VIRRICK PARK
AS THE "VERNEKA STURRUP SILVA AQUATIC FACILITY"; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
City of Miami File ID: 18829 (Revision:) Printed On: 4/2/2026
City of Miami
Legislation
Ordinance
Enactment Number: 14448
File Number: 18829 Final Action Date: 3/12/2026
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
38/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION/IN GENERAL", BY CREATING SECTION 38-41,
TITLED "NAMING OF FACILITIES AT ELIZABETH VIRRICK PARK"; MORE
SPECIFICALLY, NAMING THE AQUATIC FACILITY AT ELIZABETH VIRRICK PARK
AS THE "VERNEKA STURRUP SILVA AQUATIC FACILITY"; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Verneka Sturrup Silva was a native of Miami, born and raised in historic
Coconut Grove, whose lifetime of leadership and service demonstrated a deep and enduring
commitment to the community; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Silva devoted her professional life to public service through education,
recreation, and community advocacy, including service in the public school system, leadership
with the YMCA, and work as columnist and editor for several local and national publications;
and
WHEREAS, Ms. Silva demonstrated exceptional civic leadership as President of
Coconut Grove Cares, Inc., where she established innovative adult education partnerships, and
as President of the Miami Chapter of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, where
she developed professional support programs for educators; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Silva was a founding member of the Girl's Clubs of America Miami
Chapter, served on the Board of Directors of the Dade County Sickle Cell Foundation, and
provided distinguished leadership within Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., including service as
a national officer; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Silva served with distinction in faith -based leadership, becoming one of
the first female lay ministers licensed in the Diocese of Southeast Florida and the first African
American appointed Secretary of Christian Education for Episcopal Church Women; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Silva was a trailblazer in public education, serving on the first Miami
Dade County Public School Desegregation Committee and becoming the first Black female
administrative assistant principal in a predominantly white school; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami has constructed a modern aquatic facility at Elizabeth
Virrick Park in Coconut Grove, featuring a swimming pool built to USA Swimming and National
Federation of State High School Associations standards and other supporting amenities,
providing expanded recreational, instructional, and community opportunities for residents; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to name the newly constructed aquatic facility at Elizabeth
Virrick Park as the "Verneka Sturrup Silva Aquatic Facility" to honor Ms. Silva's life, leadership,
and contributions to the City of Miami;
City of Miami File ID: 18829 (Revision:) Printed On: 4/2/2026
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Ordinance are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. Chapter 38/Article I, of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, is
further amended in the following particulars:1
"CHAPTER 38
PARKS AND RECREATION
ARTICLE I. IN GENERAL
Secs. 38-41. Naming of facilities at Elizabeth Virrick Park.
The aquatic facility located at Elizabeth Virrick Park shall be named the "Verneka
Sturrup Silva Aquatic Facility."
*11
Section 3. If any section, part of a section, paragraph, clause, phrase or word of this
Ordinance is declared invalid, the remaining provisions of this Ordinance shall not be affected.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately after final reading and
adoption thereof.2
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
rge = . Wyy ng IIG, C ty ttor -y 2/3/2026
1 Words and/or figures stricken through shall be deleted. Underscored words and/or figures shall be
added. The remaining provisions are now in effect and remain unchanged. Asterisks indicate omitted and
unchanged material.
2 This Ordinance shall become effective as specified herein unless vetoed by the Mayor within ten (10)
calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Ordinance, it shall
become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission or upon the effective
date stated herein. whichever is later.
City of Miami File ID: 18829 (Revision:) Printed On: 4/2/2026