A visit to Vista View Park in Davie Florida. A wide open field with cloudy skies and no one around.
A Field of Dreams
landscape photography
The 1970s – The Beachlife in Miami
The best of times for kids growing up was during the late 60’s and the 70s where we enjoyed a simple life. Had loads of friends and always something to do. The ocean was very much part of our lives growing up. The beach when we were small, playing in the sand and exploring the water’s edge. As we got older, fishing off the piers and snorkeling along the shores & jetties. We surfed, swam, fished and did most anything else that we could do on or below the water.
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Haulover-Beach on Miami Archive Surf Project
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Vista View Park, Davie, FL
There are 272 acres of green rolling hills and meadows. An excellent location for outdoor enthusiasts seeking an athletic challenges. There are hills and fitness trails creating a perfect training ground for many sporting activities like mountain biking, cross country running and crossfit workouts. There are eight shelters that offer plenty shelter from the sun and are easily accommodating group picnics. The kids playgrounds are covered and offer one of the best fun environments I have seen.
- Two playgrounds
- Paved Pathways
- A half-mile loop Fitness Trail
- A 2.1-mile horse trail loops around the park
- Airfield/Paragliding
- Special Events
- Primitive Group Camping
- Fishing
- The park offers many opportunities to volunteer
** “A Little History: By the time Vista View Park opened to the public on July 12, 2003, the site had already served as the county’s landfill in Davie for more than two decades (1964-1987), culminating in a cleanup overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that led to the site’s removal from the agency’s National Priorities List in 2006. (The EPA continues to monitor the site to ensure that it remains safe for public access.) The final transformation into a park was made possible with initial funding from the Broward County Office of Integrated Waste Management, supplemented by money from the 2000 Safe Parks and Land Preservation Bond Referendum.
In 2002, approximately 60 additional acres were acquired with $12.8 million, half of which came from a Florida Communities Trust grant and the other half from the 2000 bond program. The park then embarked on a nearly $7.2 million expansion, bringing the site to its current size of approximately 271.5 acres.
Prior to the park’s construction, natural communities were largely absent because of the site’s history as cattle pasture and landfill. During the design phase, pockets of three re-created natural communities were incorporated into the plans. These habitats – dry prairie, mesic flatwoods, and hammock – were created by landscaping with some of the plants native to the communities, and as they grow and mature, it is anticipated that some of the animals naturally found in these respective communities will once again make Vista View their home.”
Vista View Park
4001 S.W. 142nd Ave., Davie, FL 33330
Phone: 954-357-8898
Fax: 954-357-8897
Email: VistaViewPark@broward.org
**Referenced: http://www.broward.org/Parks/VistaViewPark/Pages/Default.aspx
Haulover Beach Fishing Pier (1974)
After graduating High School in 1972, I spent most of my free time at the beach. The beach was a place to surf when there were waves, catch up with friends and find out about parties. People would come from all over Dade & Broward as well as from all the different local schools.
The guys would look for girls and the girls would look for guys… and some would look for a quiet place just to enjoy the surroundings. This location was about the beauty of the pier, the ocean, the inlet and the people. The ocean could be as peaceful and calm as any place could be or a raging windy storm with 6 to 10ft waves. We would play frisbee, walk along the beach, fish off the pier or along the walls of the cut and many would come just to hang out along the wall.
There were no fees for parking, only to pay for the entrance to the pier. It seemed like a party going on every time we came to the beach. People would bring food, beers, smoothies from Athens and you would hear music from radios or people playing instruments. There was almost always the smell of something in the air, BBQ or whatever….
Life was simple, the number of friends we had was only limited by how many people you wanted to meet.