(WSVN) - A city’s decision to lock up a park is fielding a fight with area residents. A plan to attract families to one South Florida city has neighbors unhappy. As 7’s Robbin Simmons reports — a deal between the school board and the city could take away their children’s place to play.
This land used to be filled with children having fun.
Maria Barrerio: “This used to get so packed with families. Beautiful, you know, the concession, the games. It was exciting.”
But excitement has turned to frustration for these neighbors because kids are no longer allowed to play on this athletic field in Hialeah.
Area resident: “They took it away, they put “no trespassing” signs, so we can’t even go in there to go jogging or play with our kids.”
For nearly 40 years, the Miami-Dade School Board leased the field to the city, and it was left open to the public as a neighborhood park.
In 2013, the city did not renew the lease, and the park was closed.
Michael Horgan: “We all want the fields to be restored.”
But that probably won’t happen…
Last September, Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernández sent a letter to the school board — he wants the board to sell the land to someone who will build housing on it.
Hernández said the city would waive the application fees to rezone the land to “residential.”
Maria Barrerio: “It’s sad because they’re taking away from our kids.”
The mayor’s plan says building new homes here would bring new families to the neighborhood and more students to the schools.
It would also bring more taxpayer money to the city.
Michael Horgan: “We have very little green space left, and we’d like to preserve it and have it utilized.”
When Michael Horgan heard about the plan, he started a petition against it.
He claims he broke the news to many residents, because the city never did.
Michael Horgan: “The city at the last school board meeting was told to inform the neighborhood, and nobody has gone about doing that yet.”
The school board sent 7News an email, saying public hearings for residents will happen once the re-zoning application is filed, which hasn’t happened yet.
They add they will now slow down the entire process so that neighbors can have their say before the land is sold off.
Maria Barrerio: “We’re taking action because it’s out of control, and we want the green, we want the yard, we want our kids to be out there.”
Neighbors say they will keep fighting so their kids have a place to play.
7News called and emailed the Hialeah mayor’s office several times, but got no response.
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