Residents urge Myrtle Grove park amenities, propose regulated golf-cart service and push to preserve historic farmhouse

Several residents used the public-comment period at the Sept. 24 Miami Gardens City Council meeting to press for park improvements, traffic safety measures, event logistics changes and historic-preservation efforts.

Myrtle Grove renovations: Reed Hughes, a neighborhood resident, addressed the council about Resolution 12.1 concerning Myrtle Grove Park renovations. Hughes said seniors and residents with disabilities want an outdoor walking trail, an outdoor fitness station, benches, and a 6,000-square-foot indoor gymnasium/multipurpose building. Hughes also said the community is “anxiously waiting for its groundbreaking ceremony.”

Golf-cart service proposal: Missy Ross presented a plan for a regulated, street-legal golf-cart service she said could improve mobility, pedestrian safety and local commerce during events. Her proposal called for registration of operators with the city, valid driver licenses and liability insurance, random compliance checks and a revocation policy for operators who do not comply. Council members indicated interest in meeting with the proposers and suggested setting up a Sunshine meeting to discuss a formal plan.

Traffic and event logistics: Minister Hermey Wallace asked the council to update bus routes so elderly passengers would not have to walk long distances to Walmart; the deputy city manager offered to connect Wallace with the city’s transportation program. Christine Malcolm thanked police and staff for moving an Uber/Lyft event drop-off zone from Snake Creek Canal to Betty T. Ferguson and asked the city to share plans for large events such as FIFA 2026 so residents will not be boxed in by traffic.

Historic-home preservation: A public commenter identified as representing preservation interests urged the council not to demolish the Enrico farmhouse near the senior center, which the speaker said turned 100 years old this year and was linked to the area’s dairy history. The speaker said people are ready to seek funding to save the structure and asked the council to consider preservation options.

Why it matters: Public comments touched on parks, transportation, event planning and historic preservation — issues that affect residents’ daily life and the city’s planning decisions.

What’s next: Council members offered to set up follow-up meetings (including Sunshine meetings) to discuss the golf-cart proposal, park project timelines and transportation fixes; no formal votes on these items were taken that night.