Building the Public Realm Partnership Summits

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

In recent years, there has been a massive push for walkable, park-filled communities. Because of this need, many counties are beginning to revamp their parks and recreation department in an effort to create a better community in the future. In 2009, Miami Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, with the support of the County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, initiated a series of collaborative workshops entitled “Building the Public Realm Partnership Summits”. Each Summit included local elected officials, government administrators, academics, business leaders, local developers and urban planners who were asked to identify opportunities for partnership, collaboration and implementation of the shared principles of the County Parks and Open Space Master Plan. Through these meetings, the county was able to gauge the community's interest in expanding the parks system. As a result of the summits, the planning process became more inclusive and then established a system where every resident in the County can walk (within 5 minutes) to a central neighborhood park or civic space.