Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces

Miami-Dade Parks began as a Division of the County Road and Bridge Department in 1929, planting trees along our community's highways. A.D. Barnes, a leader in the National Parks, Recreation and Open Space movement, persuaded Commodore Matheson to donate 80 acres of land for, the first county park, Matheson Hammock Park.

Miami-Dade Parks now manages more than 12,000 acres and has more than 280 parks, recreational facilities and greenways. It continues to provide outstanding recreational facilities and programming to more than 2.5 million residents and visitors, making it one of the nation’s largest and busiest leisure service agencies.

A three-time national Gold medal winner for excellence in Parks administration, it is the only municipal park system of its size to be awarded National Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation and Open Space Agencies.

Heritage Parks

Parks are significant assets of a community's heritage. They are places of social and cultural gatherings, places of nature's beauty and places where we simply play.

In Miami-Dade, we have 75 years of parks that have enriched our lives and environment. Miami-Dade Parks is proud to preserve that heritage. We have designated seven parks that have played a vital role in this community's history, environment and recreational and cultural experiences.