Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hialeah outlines parks turnaround, new programs and capital plans
Summary
Parks director Willie Sanchez told the City Council the department now manages roughly 226 acres, has expanded programming to 54 offerings and is advancing 14 capital projects (including a CCTV program and LED sports lighting) with plans to start work in 2026.
Willie Sanchez, Hialeah’s Parks and Community Engagement director, told the City Council the department is "way ahead of schedule" on renovations and programming since his return 3½ years ago and now oversees roughly 226 acres of parks and facilities. Sanchez said the department’s goal is to make parks "safer and welcoming to everybody," and that staff have prioritized training, maintenance and expanded programming.
Division leaders provided specifics: Steve Diaz Parson, community engagement, described investments in staff safety training, automated irrigation and extended weekend hours; aquatics supervisor Douglas Cordovi said swim participation rose 144% year‑over‑year and that lifeguard and safety certifications were expanded; Sharon Diesick, education division director, reported the division served more than 1,400 participants and leveraged $1.3 million in Children’s Trust funding plus $584,000 from the Florida Department of Education for after‑school and summer programs.
Finance business manager Irene Ponce reviewed capital plans, saying about 14 capital projects are scheduled to start in 2026 and later years. She highlighted a CCTV camera rollout intended to improve safety, LED sports lighting to reduce energy costs and an FIU partnership producing landscape design options for a major new park project that will include a $200,000 state matching grant. Ponce said operating expenses total roughly $16 million against approximately $1 million in department‑generated revenue and announced a new online reservations and payments system to increase transparency and tracking of rental income.
Council members asked for follow‑up data on rental revenues and visitation by site. Diaz said the department uses a booking platform and Placer AI visitation data to track roughly 2.3 million park visits in the fiscal year and can produce site‑level revenue reports on request. Sanchez said many of the busiest sites (including Goodlet Park) benefit from a mix of amenities, including pickleball courts and a performing arts venue, and that targeted programming and small capital repairs are intended to spread usage to smaller neighborhood parks.
The department closed by committing to provide the requested rental revenue breakdowns and to return with more detailed cost‑benefit information for future capital decisions.
