The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many South Florida parks to temporarily close or to restrict access to certain park amenities. Aventura’s Veterans Park has proven itself to be an exception, by meeting the virus head-on with a daily super-cleaning regimen to ensure that its new playground, picnic shelters and park furniture remain accessible to the community.
Located at 18375 NE 31st Ave. and less than a mile’s drive from Biscayne Boulevard on tree-laden Williams Island Boulevard, the two-acre Veterans Park is open seven days a week but with new daily closures from noon to 3 p.m. to allow park staff to sanitize amenities. The labor-intensive process has allowed the playground, which was installed in the summer of 2020, to provide a fun but safe destination experience for neighborhood children.
Janet Goodman for Biscayne Times
Visitors to Veterans Park are greeted at its entrance by beds of pink and red flowers and mature palms.
The spacious playground area holds several innovative structures made by Playlsi. It is floored with a rubberized safety surface and protected overhead by two, blue stretched-canvas shades. Each pole that supports the shades is wrapped in orange padding as an extra safety measure, and a new concrete sidewalk encircles the entire playground. The brightly colored swings, climbers, bouncers, slides and a small human-propelled spinner are all meticulously cleaned when the park suspends play at noon.
As a pandemic precaution, the playground’s water fountain has been shrink-wrapped to prevent use – the only amenity in the park that’s temporarily off limits.
The City of Aventura opened Veterans Park in June 2004 with a bronze plaque near the park’s entrance that states: “Dedicated to the brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces to preserve our freedom and the American way of life.” Flowers and neatly trimmed hedges frame the commemorative plate.
Veterans Park is open to Aventura residents only, but unlike other city parks such as Waterways Dog Park, an access pass is not needed to enter through the gates. Attractive green metal park fencing and a locked entrance gate into the paved parking lot prevents after-hours visits. Along NE 31st Avenue, the park is beautifully landscaped with groupings of red and pink flowers and palms, from which the Veterans Park sign rises.
The parking lot has spaces for approximately 25 vehicles. A bike rack is nearby, as is a surveillance camera which overlooks the lot. According to The Trust for Public Land (TPL), 5,745 residents live within a 10-minute walk to the park, most of them living in high-rises along Williams Island Boulevard and on NE 31st Avenue. Aventura has six parks, but only 1% of city land is used for parks and recreation (the national average is 15%). Approximately 81% of Aventura residents live within a 10-minute walk.
Mature shade trees provide plenty of cover along the paved footpath, marked with one-way directional signs per COVID-19 guidelines, that loops around the edges of the property. It runs as asphalt until it turns into a concrete path that was more recently installed, along with new green metal benches. Visitors can enjoy native trees such as gumbo limbo, oak and black olive, as well as coconut and royal palm. All trees are neatly landscaped with red cedar mulch. Younger trees can be found planted and braced in the central section of the park, which is a large, open and well-maintained grassy field.
Janet Goodman for Biscayne Times
Oak trees are among several native species planted along the park’s footpaths.
Metal storm drains are part of the park’s smart resiliency design. Ample trash receptacles are provided and one recycle bin can be found near the playground. When the Biscayne Times visited in early December, there were no signs of litter in the parkscape.
Veterans Park offers visitors two canvas-shaded picnic pavilions installed on concrete slabs, each with a metal table. Unfortunately, picnic shelters here are not available for party reservations, but such reservations can be made at Aventura’s Waterways Park and Founders Park.
No need to head home when nature calls. A restroom building is located near the park’s entrance.
Veterans Park
Park Rating 4.5/5 trees
18375 NE 31st Ave.
Aventura, FL 33180
305.466.8900
Hours: 9 a.m. – noon; 3 – 6 p.m.
(3 – 8 p.m. EDT)
- Picnic tables: Yes
- Barbecues: No
- Picnic pavilions: Yes
- Night lighting: Yes
- Playground: Yes
- Tennis courts: No
- Swimming pool: No