What does Coconut Grove need more, another restaurant or an art/community center? Our city fathers are voting "food!" as they prepare to give away another piece of Peacock Park. Using the usual the lame excuse, "We lack the funds for park improvements", the City of Miami is planning to sign a lease with their buddies, the Grove Bay developers, a 25-year deal to put a restaurant in the Grove's central park.
It would take over the east half of the Glass House, their plans rendered here,
It is a pretty picture but what if we want something else ten years from now? The developers will control it for the next quarter century.
What about a smaller cafe or a shorter lease?
Why not make the space a community/art center? The City's parks department does nearly nothing for the kids of Coconut Grove. Wouldn't it be great to keep the entire the Glass House for youth programs, art classes, and samba lessons?
There are two restaurants across the street.
If you take notice of the bronze plaque on the north facing wall, you see that the building was dedicated to be community center in 1968.
Housing a future upscale restaurant is not mentioned.
The big question is this 200-seat eatery best use for this public space? The City of Miami Commission will make a decision at their November 20th meeting, a week from today.
If you do not agree with their plans, voice your opposition now.
The City did the same thing a year ago. It gave away the southwest corner of Peacock Park to the adjacent private school. The school has surrounded their new soccer and basketball courts with a ten-foot fence. The gates are usually locked. They were at 4:30 today. The only kids inside using this facility were the private school students.
Miami has so little park space now. Why don't we acquire more of it rather that give what we have to private schools and businesses?
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What about a smaller cafe or a shorter lease?
Why not make the space a community/art center? The City's parks department does nearly nothing for the kids of Coconut Grove. Wouldn't it be great to keep the entire the Glass House for youth programs, art classes, and samba lessons?
There are two restaurants across the street.
If you take notice of the bronze plaque on the north facing wall, you see that the building was dedicated to be community center in 1968.
The big question is this 200-seat eatery best use for this public space? The City of Miami Commission will make a decision at their November 20th meeting, a week from today.
If you do not agree with their plans, voice your opposition now.
The City did the same thing a year ago. It gave away the southwest corner of Peacock Park to the adjacent private school. The school has surrounded their new soccer and basketball courts with a ten-foot fence. The gates are usually locked. They were at 4:30 today. The only kids inside using this facility were the private school students.
Miami has so little park space now. Why don't we acquire more of it rather that give what we have to private schools and businesses?
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