Miami Lakes reviews phased plan to renovate Optimist Park; no decisions taken at workshop

Town staff presented a phased renovation plan for Miami Lakes Optimist Park on Feb. 5, outlining a prototype “year 1” to rebuild one ball field, install a restroom and upgrade lighting while developing construction documents for the whole site. The discussion focused on sequencing, cost estimates and funding options; the council gave feedback but took no formal action because workshops do not authorize binding decisions.

The project presentation was led by Jeremy Bagdown, director of parks and recreation. “This is our largest athletic site, obviously, that has served our community for 50 plus years,” Bagdown said as he described a site plan that would renovate all seven ball fields in phases while keeping the existing field layout to reduce utility relocations. The town manager reiterated that “at these workshops, no action can be taken,” framing the session as a fact-finding and direction-setting meeting rather than a vote.

Why it matters: Optimist Park hosts youth and adult sports programs and is used by nearby schools and community groups. Staff said the phased approach would allow the town to develop full construction documents for the entire park in year 1 and then implement upgrades incrementally to reduce program interruptions and manage annual funding needs.

What staff showed and recommended - Site plan: Retrofit and rebuild seven ball fields (drainage, irrigation, backstops, dugouts, bleachers/shade), add a 30-by-26 prefabricated restroom building roughly in the park center, continuous accessible pathways, exercise stations, LED retrofit lighting on existing poles, resurfaced parking and improvements to tennis/pickleball and sport courts. Bagdown described landscaping and shade plantings along walking paths. - Year 1 prototype: Complete master construction documents for the full park and construct a prototype full overhaul of Field 5 (including bleachers with shade, dugouts, irrigation and lighting), remove remaining wooden light poles on Field 1 for safety, and install the restroom and pathway from the tennis-court lot to Field 5. - Sequencing rationale: Staff said producing full construction documents at the outset provides a single guiding plan, enables coordinated implementation, minimizes repeated heavy equipment mobilizations and helps produce more accurate long-term cost estimates and an order-of-magnitude project cost (OPC).

Preliminary cost and funding figures presented (as stated by staff) - Earlier complete site estimate (bond plan): about $19,500,000 (referenced as the 2018/2022 conceptual figure that went to voters). The 2022 bond measure failed. - Town capital for Optimist Park (MLOP capital account) currently available: $1,269,000 (presented by staff). - Staff proposal to restore a prior transfer of $499,322 into that account would bring Year 1 available funds to about $1,769,000. - Staff showed a preliminary multi‑year estimate of roughly $6.06 million total (Year 1 plus later phases), with about $4.963 million shown as to-be-determined in years 2+. Staff emphasized those totals are preliminary and will be refined once construction documents are complete. - Other itemized figures discussed during the meeting included: an airnasium estimated at $750,000 (presented as a standalone element), construction-document/design work preliminarily estimated at about $300,000, Field 5 improvements shown at roughly $551,000, and a line item for lighting/ pole work on Field 1 around $442,750. Staff said retrofit LED lighting offers long-term energy and maintenance savings and typically comes with multi-decade warranties.

Council and public concerns Council members and members of the public pressed staff on sequencing, cost accuracy and how to prioritize other town infrastructure. Several council members urged finishing the “core” heavy work (earthwork, backstops, fencing, dugouts) earlier to avoid higher inflation-driven costs later; others favored the staff recommendation to build a visible prototype first so residents can see the final vision. Multiple council members emphasized balancing park upgrades with other infrastructure needs such as broken sidewalks and tree trimming.

Public commenters, including residents who identified themselves and representatives of the Optimist Club, expressed a mix of support and concern. Public commenter Claudia Luzis asked for a clear, itemized list of improvements and cost breakdowns. Jim Lynn, speaking for the Optimist Club, said the group “appreciates your consideration of any improvements that the Parks Department deems appropriate, financially and time wise.” Several residents warned that pursuing upgrades the town cannot maintain would be problematic.

Next steps described by staff Staff asked the council for conceptual concurrence to proceed to the next steps: (1) further partner outreach (including the Miami‑Dade County Public Schools joint‑use agreement partner and the Optimist Club), (2) completion of master construction documents and an OPC that will compare a single‑stage build versus phased options, and (3) return to the council with detailed budget and financing options (carry‑forward restoration, impact fees, grants, loans or bonding) before any legislative or procurement actions.

No formal action Because this was a council workshop, no motion, vote or appropriation occurred. Staff and multiple council members said subsequent steps — design completion, OPC development and financing decisions — will be brought back for legislative consideration at future meetings.

Closing note Staff framed the plan as flexible: after year 1 (the prototype), the council could pursue either an element‑by‑element approach (lighting, fencing, etc.) across the entire park or a field‑by‑field top‑to‑bottom approach depending on available funding and council priorities. Council members asked staff to ensure the OPC and future cost estimates are as precise as possible to avoid public mistrust and to identify sources for long‑term maintenance funding.