By Request, Suniland Park

ghostwriter33156 wanted to know about Suniland Park.  I took the following information straight from the Village of Pinecrest's website:

An active ten acre park with multipurpose athletic fields (baseball and football), batting cages, a recreation center, basketball courts, a Wi-Fi Spot in the gazebo, and a tot lot.



In 1916, Miami-Dade County purchased a five acre parcel called Rock Pit #21 and, in 1938, added 3.5 acres and dedicated the land for park use. On September 8, 1962, the county officially agreed to develop the property with athletic facilities including baseball and football fields and basketball courts and the modern-day Suniland Park was established. In 1999, the facility was deeded by the county to the Village of Pinecrest. The park was completely redeveloped during 2002-2003. The $1.6 million improvements to the park included a new building and gazebo, enhancements to the basketball courts and fields, a new jogging/walking path, and lighting upgrades.

The address is 12855 US 1 (South Dixie Highway, Pincrest Parkway...).

Below are some bad shots I took on the way home this evening of the park.

Below are some pictures of the "Publix" side of Suniland Mall.  Red Balloon (my most favorite store ever growing up) is looooong gone, as is the theater.

 

 The Publix is now a Whole Foods, but I LOVE that they kept the original building front.

By Request - The Parrot Jungle!

KD wanted to see some updated pictures of the old Parrot Jungle, nowadays known as "Pinecrest Gardens"....so this morning, I packed up my 6 year old and we headed over to spend some time there.

(PLEASE CLICK ON ALL PICTURES TO OPEN THEM UP FULL SIZE.  

SOME OF THEM ARE NOT SHOWING UP RIGHT ON HERE)

You can see that for the most part, the entrance has remained the same, though some old timers may remember that this wasn't even the original entrance...we'll see pictures of that later.

All the big, old ficus trees still shade the parking lot.

I think it's amazing how the ficus roots have grown into such cool archways.

A few years back, they added this fun splash ground for kids.  $3 for all day - you can't beat it!

So many amazing plants...all different shapes, sizes and colors.  All that's missing are the parrots!

Well...the flamingos are missing, too.

There was a swan, some geese, ibis and ducks all chilling out in the old flamingo pond.

The petting zoo is empty. 

Wonder what's up with that?

The paths still meander through a tropical jungle filled with different palms, cypress and birds of paradise...turtles sun themselves on rocks and koi splash around them.

There are alot of old, empty cages still along the path.  I may be weird, but I kind of like that they've left them there...

They've also left an old parrot stand up.  See it on the right?  Looks like branches. (You may have to click on the picture to open it up larger to see it all)

Above was what used to be the original entrance to Parrot Jungle.  Pinecrest has recently renovated it.  It doesn't look exactly the same as it did, but sometimes ya gotta give 'em credit for doing what they did anyway!

And thus ended our visit.  

Thanks, KD, for giving us an excuse to go back. I always enjoy coming here.

Remember, if any of you have any other site requests, let me know! 

A Standing Offer

I thought it might be nice to offer, for those of you who don't live here anymore, pictures of specific places you might remember or may be curious about.  Maybe your old house, your school or a park you remember...just leave me your request in a comment here and I'll do my best to oblige!

Allen's Drug Store

Corner of Red and Bird Roads...still there!

The Perfect Team

A brief remembrance.... The 1972 Miami Dolphins- The Only Perfect Season!

The first airplane I ever went up in belonged to Dolphin's Center, Jim Langer.  My brother-in-law actually taught him to fly.  I remember one day, the phone rang and I answered it...I was probably about 8 or 9 years old.  It was a nice man who wanted to speak to my brother-in-law (who happened to be there).  I found out later that it was Jim Langer.  I got SO excited!  Couldn't believe that he had called OUR house and I had talked to him! 

I sat next to Bob Griese once at a UM baseball game back in...oh...1983.  I thought that was pretty cool.  I've heard Mercury Morris used to shop at Sunset Corners (back when there was also a grocery store there, not just the liquor store).  But the guy I wonder about is Garo!  #1 !!!!  Wonder what he's up to?

Anyway, so many great memories of that team...the way they brought Miami to it's feet...giving us something to really, REALLY be proud of and cheer about. 

6 players from the '72 Dolphins team have been entered in Pro Football's Hall of Fame: Larry Csonka, Nick Buoniconti, Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, and Paul Warfield. In 1997, Don Shula joined them.

There never has been, nor will there ever be, another team as great...as fun...and as perfect as those '72 Dolphins!

Do you have any memories of 1972?  Any memories of any particular players?  If so, please share them!

Here is a link to my main blog where I had talked about them before...Fun Monday- Miami Dolphins