In spite of years of County ineptitude and foot-dragging, Doral Community Council (DCC) Member Ralph Arza was recently able to secure the approval of the Parks and Recreation Department for Doral's first park: Doral Meadows, to be located just north of NW 58 Street and just east of the Turnpike.

(Left to Right) Boys and Girls Club of Miami Administrative Assistant to the Director R. Kenneth Bluh, DCC Member Ralph Arza, and Lennar Project Manager, Land Division Dean Crews are all set to play ball at the site of the future Doral Meadows Park. Phase I of the project will include the construction of two soccer fields

Arza was able to enlist the help of Lennar Corporation and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami, Inc. to build and operate Doral Meadows--all he needed was the county's rubber stamp of approval.

But even that simple process literally took two years, he said, a delay that frustrated Arza and one that he still resents.

"It has been entirely inexcusable that the county has taken so long to act on this, "Arza fumed. "They (the county) have played absolutely no role in Doral Meadows thus far other than to say, 'O.K., you can call it a county park.'"

Arza, who was the DCC's chairman (he's still a member-at-large) until his term recently expired, has been working for years--ever since joining the council--to get a park in place for Doral's families.

"I moved to Doral in 1995 and there wasn't a park here and there is still isn't one four years later despite my own best efforts as well as that of several other community leaders," Arza said.
"The only kind of recreation available out here is golf, and that's dangerous for spectators--people that just want to walk around and enjoy the beauty of the course," Arza said smiling then continued, "particularly when those people from Doral Estates are out on the links. Those are some dangerous golfers."

Luckily, Arza was able to help broker the current deal, in which Lennar will build the park and the Boys and Girls Club will run it. In exchange, Lennar will get impact fee credits for their work and the Club will get to operate the facility.

Arza was very grateful for the help of Lennar's President David Holtzman and Boys Club's Director of Athletics Sergio Rouco, who he said were very supportive of the project.

Arza also said that WDFHA Vice President Jesse Jones was crucial to brokering a deal between the three parties and that Doral parks activist Giuseppina Mariano's assistance was very important to the successful resolution of the impasse.

Said Rouco of the deal, "We have a partnership already with the county at Gwen Cherry Park and it has been very successful--we handle all aspects of the athletic programs there."

He continued, "We've had a great working relationship with the county thus far and expect more of the same in Doral. We're excited about the project--Doral needs this park, a place where parents can feel comfortable about dropping their children off after school. There aren't

any recreational opportunities for the kids out here at all right now."
The deal was necessary because the county claimed it didn't have the money to build or operate the park despite the fact that they've accumulated nearly $1.8 million in impact fees from the Doral area, Arza said.

"At the end of the day at least the county was wise enough to see the benefits of the agreement and step out of the way and let Lennar build it," he said.

But despite the fact that the park is getting built Arza was still furious about the "disappearance" of that $1.8 million.

"Where has that money gone?" Arza asked rhetorically, "The county doesn't say. Luckily, Lennar and the Boys Club came to the rescue, and they can probably build the park faster and more efficiently than the county ever could, but that money was supposed to used for the residents of Doral, "

Construction on the park will begin as soon as possible and "Phase I" should be completed by the second week in June. "Phase I" will include the construction of two soccer fields at the site and "Phase II", which has no set completion date as of yet, will be the creation of two baseball fields.

Later stages of the project will include a recreation center, Arza said.

Boys and Girls Club of Miami Administrative Assistant to the Director R. Kenneth Bluh said, "With six units in Miami-Dade County, the Boys and Girls Club of Miami is looking forward to serving the Doral and the youth of the westward expansion of Miami-Dade County." Yet despite the successful resolution of his efforts regarding Doral Meadows, Arza still has a bitter taste in his mouth regarding the county's efforts.

Arza said, "It's clear that the county cannot provide for the day-to-day needs of a community like Doral. The county can handle," he paused, "well, I'm not sure what they can handle. They haven't been very efficient with their work on the airport, the seaport, and its clear in this case on the parks either."

He continued, "Doral is the only community that I know of in Miami-Dade County without a park for its families and children. That's unbelievable! With incorporation we'd have a park in a matter of months--if you step back and take a look at what other incorporated areas have done.