Two days ago I talked about the ground-breaking for Flagler Grove Park in Village 
of Pinecrest. Yesterday I gave information about Coral Pine Park. Today’s subject is Veterans Wayside Park, one of the three parks transferred to Pinecrestfrom Miami-Dade County in 1998. It is located at on the east side of US 1 at Southwest 112 Street across the street to the north from Suniland Shopping Center. It is bordered on the north by SW 110 Street and on the east by SW 79 Avenue.
This has for years seemed to me to be the most forgotten park in Pinecrest, even though thousands of people drive by it every day due to its location. Not any more! This 4.5 acre respite, which has always been a passive park, has a lot of activity going on both behind the scene as well as directly at the location. As long as I can remember it has had a small fresh water lake, open recreation areas and picnic tables scattered throughout.
The small lake sits deeply, much of it having high walls of coral rock. There is a 
sizable duck population; and you can often see both children and adults tossing bread and the ducks doing a fast scramble for it. In the water you can see the reflection of the cars as they travel along US 1. You also hear their sound as you walk around the park.
I very often used to see a commercial truck, pick-up or car parked on the SW 112 Street side and see people eating a peaceful lunch at one of the picnic tables.
Now other things are happening. As the name implies this park is dedicated to VETERANS. Except for the sign on US 1 who would know? It’s never had a real memorial or even a flag pole. That’s all changing. Work is in progress. A curb has been placed along the SW 112 Street side so that traffic can not pull directly off the road onto the green area. Instead, SW 79 Avenue has been resurfaced and parking places have been added all along the east side of the park, benefiting both the neatly kept duplexes on the east as well as the park. An opening from the street has been provided to drive into the park. A water fountain, a flag pole and a real Veterans Memorial will be put in place. A memorial service is already planned for Veterans Day, November 11, 2007 at 11:00 AM. Please put that on your calendar today and pay tribute to our veterans at this newly improved and improving Pinecrest park.
Tomorrow’s subject: Wondrous Suniland Park.