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Tuesday, August 27, 2019

 MORNINGSIDE PARK IMPROVEMENTS

 PROTECT THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF MORNINGSIDE PARK

MAKE CHILDREN A PRIORITY

 Good Morning,

I attended the third Morningside Park Improvements Community Meeting last week, Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

I was quite shocked and alarmed by the new Proposals for the Morningside Park Improvements presented to the Community by the Office of Capital Improvements.

 Steven Williamson, Director of Capital Improvements, presented a new proposal with major changes to Morningside Park without any prior notice or documentation being sent out to the Community.

More than 200 hundred persons attended the Morningside Park Meeting where a long complicated and confusing new Park Plan was presented. 

None of the previous Proposals and Ideas, made by the Community during the first and second Community Meetings concerning the Morningside Pool & Park Improvements were included in this new Presentation.and Proposal!

The consensus at the first two Morningside Park's Meetings was to repair the pool. The first three drafts of the General Plan reflect this consensus.

During the first Community Meeting, a Proposal was presented to demolish the Pool and move it to the west side of Morningside Park. There was a loud outcry from the Community to leave the pool in it's present location, repair the pool, and open it ASAP.

The Community was told it would take less than 2 years to repair the Morningside Pool and reopen to the Community.

If Commissioner Ken Russell and the City Managers had been committed and actively engaged two years ago, the Morningside Pool would have been repaired and already open to the Community.

 Steve Williamson, the recently appointed Director of Capital Improvements and Lara Hamwey the Director of Parks appointed 6 months ago, have been actively engaged in planning, and supporting  the new Morningside Parks Proposal. The Proposal  demolishes the Morningside Pool and moves the Pool to the middle of Morningside Park where the existing Soft Ball Field is located.

Three Engineering reports were completed on the Morningside Pool stating that the Pool was repairable. The last Engineering Report from TY Lin, was the most exhaustive, and it said the Morningside Pool "does not warrant a full reconstruction".

Why was the Engineering Company TY Lin not invited to the Morningside Park Community Meeting?

The first three drafts of the Morningside Park General Plan, showed the Pool restored in its current location The third draft was labeled as Final Public Review Meeting, January 24, 2019.

The January 24,2019 Mornigside Park Meeting never took place and 

the Final Draft was never presented to the Community! 

The lack of TRUTH and TRANSPARENCY by the Office of Capital Improvements is alarming!

Who gave Steve Williamson, Director of Capital Improvements permission to disregard what the majority of Miami Residents want at Morningside Park and radically change the Morningside Park Plan??

The Residents of Miami participated in two Community Meetings. The information collected formed the Final Draft Plan that was never presented to the Community.

Soft Ball Field

The new plan is to eliminate the Soft Ball Field. This Soft Ball Field is the only regulation Soft Ball Field in the Upper Eastside Community.

The Soft Ball Field is actively used by Children and Adults in City,  Non-Profit, and Neighborhood Programs.

Mr City Manager Emilio T Gonzalez, please explain to me why the Parks Director Lara Hamwey is supporting a plan that eliminates the only Soft Ball Field in the Upper Eastside Community.

The new plan presents a Multi-Use Field  to play Soft Ball and Soccer.on the same field. Unacceptable!

Soft Ball and Soccer are played on two entirely different dedicated fields. This vague proposal to play two different sports on the same field is unacceptable creates multiple conflicts and is also dangerous.

The Community attending the first two Morningside Park Meetings never asked for the Pool to be moved to the middle of the Park or the Soft Ball Field to be eliminated.

The Morningside Park Swimming Pool should remain in its present location whether it is repaired or rebuilt. 

The Capital Improvements Staff were quoting the 50 Percent Rule of the FEMA Regulations and Florida Building Codes as reasons why the Swimming Pool needed to be relocated to another part of Morningside Park. The information presented was false and incomplete.

Attorney David Winker, attending the Meeting corrected Capital Improvements Staff and stated to all attending the Community Meeting that swimming pools were excluded from the Codes and Regulations. 

Community Activist, Elvis Cruz stated he spoke to a Representative at the Florida Building Commission, and was told that the Florida Building Code is enforced at a local level. The FEMA Regulations do apply including the exclusion of swimming pools  from the 50 percent rule. 

The Morningside Swimming Pool does not need to be relocated. 

 The Children's Playground

 I am also concerned that Steven Williamson, Director of Capital Improvements new Proposal has the Children's Playgrounds moved to the back of the Park away from the Community Center.

The Children's Playgrounds are used by Children in the After-School and Summer Camp Programs.

Young Children, especially Toddlers, need to use the restroom quite often and they are also prone to accidents. 

I believe keeping the Children's Playgrounds closer to the Community Building is a safer and more convenient plan for Parents.

Mr City Manager Gonzalez, Please read all of the letters being sent to you about the Morningside Park Improvements and respond.

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Protect the Historic Integrity of Morninside Park by making sure the location of the Swimming Pool is not changed.

Make the Children of the Upper Eastside a Priority by maintaining a dedicated Soft Ball Field and a dedicated Soccer Field.

Locate the Children's Playgrounds near the Community Building.

Morningside Park is a vital part of the Upper Eastside Community

Steve Williamson, Director of Capital Improvements needs to work with the Community requests and serve the needs of the Miami Residents and Taxpayers.

Eileen M Bottari