I t was the perfect spot to test Mike Krester Jr.’s Parrot aircraft with its snazzy onboard camera.
The 15-year-old Coral Reef High School sophomore excitedly glimpsed aerial action views of Chuck Pezoldt Park, viewed on his iPad screen while the remote-controlled drone zoomed over the landscape.
“How about that?” grinned Mike Sr., the younger Krester’s father, a Miami postal employee who uses the 1.8-mile jogging path that circles the park to keep his weight in check.
The Kresters are typical of those living near the Stonewood community who enjoy the park’s limited facilities that include the trail, children’s play apparatus and basketball courts, but little else.
Now, the open area at SW 157th Avenue and 168th Street, that bears the name of a former Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Department director, is getting deserved attention.
That is why a special public meeting on Dec. 11 at nearby Eureka Villas Park brought a group of residents to hear current project plans and recommend ideas for future improvements.
Parks Department officials wanted to make sure residents of the Richmond West area got a voice in the improvements.
To meet immediate needs, an interior parking lot with 15 paved spaces will be added to eliminate street side parking and an additional unpaved parking area will be considered for the park. Picnic tables are due to be installed as well as landscaping to soften the park’s open look.
For exercisers using the trail, low-level lighting is being considered for the perimeter route, shielded to prevent light spillover, an installation similar to one at Briar Bay Park, 9000 SW 128 St.
Feedback from residents asking for other park additions included: restrooms, a drinking fountain, a designated small playfield for youngsters and potential designation as a leash-only dog park.
Additionally, Public Works will investigate installation of a stop sign at the SW 164th Street and 154th Avenue intersection as Parks Department staffers continue considering all requested improvements, prioritizing those that best meet community needs.
The improvements proposed for Chuck Pezoldt Park are similar to those undertaken at Sgt. Joe Delancy Park, one of several projects included in planning sought for more than a decade by Commissioner Dennis Moss in District 9.
For more information regarding Pezoldt Park, call Larry and Penny Thompson Park at 305-232-1049.
The cars parked on 164th st are destroying the grass, are an eyesore for the residents, and often block the sidewalk. Paved parking within the park would be great!
No need to spend money on parking. Use it for something else.. There is more than enough roadside parking. It's a loved neighborhood park enjoyed by plenty of walkers, kids, etc..