10 Mile Linear Park May Soon Be A South Florida Reality
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A group in South Florida is on track to creating the largest linear park, which would stretch 10-miles long from Brickell to Dadeland underneath the MetroRail.
The linear park is called the Greenlink Project and its creators say it will put South Florida on the map for a whole new attraction.
"The vision is to connect eight transit stations to one linear park," said Meg Daly, Greenlink Park's founder said.
Greenlink Project, Daly's brainchild, would create an outdoor parkway with unlimited facilities and attractions on the 20-foot by 10-mile stretch from Brickell to Dadeland.
The University of Miami Architecture department came up with some possibilities.
CBS4's Cynthia Demos, while on a walk at the University of Miami MetroRail station, asked Daly, "What do you see here?" Daly responded, "A skate park, Frisbee, golf course, longest linear trampoline…really—the sky's the limit."
Click here to WATCH CBS4's Cynthia Demos's report
As far as funding goes, the money is coming in. Daly said that they have about $2 million in commitments so far. She wouldn't specify on who was coming forward but she did say the Knight Foundation is very much on board.
The Knight Foundation was a part of the round table discussion CBS4 put together.
Matt Haggman with the Knight Foundation said, "the impact of all the people would use this is enormous."
The park would directly impact about 400,000 people right along the proposed Greenlink and would increase property value along the way.
The group cited the gold standard—The High Line in New York City. The High Line is a similar project which is 1 and a half miles long and which cost 180 million and generated about $3 billion in real estate investment.
The Greenlink Project is enticing to Millennials who are interested in more green space and technology than driving.
Miami-Dade Parks is also on board.
Also on the advisory board is well-known attorney Parker Thompson, who happens to be Meg Daly's father and was the chairman of the performing arts center trust when it was being built.
Thompson said the arts center transformed Miami and so will Greenlink.
"Miami will be known for having one more outstanding famous system and that's what it's all about," Thompson said.
Daly says the project will start with one area at a time until the entire ten mile stretch is complete which will eventually link to a much larger green space and park area throughout all of Miami-Dade County.
If everything stays on track, building could start in a year and could take five to 10 years to complete.
For more information, visit www.thegreenlink.org.
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