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Front Page » Government » Miami to rename Museum Park for Maurice Ferré

Miami to rename Museum Park for Maurice Ferré

Written by on November 27, 2018
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
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Miami to rename Museum Park for Maurice Ferré

One of the City of Miami’s waterfront parks is being renamed in honor of long-time mayor and community leader Maurice Ferré.

The Miami City Commission has begun the process to rename Museum Park as Maurice A. Ferré Park. On Nov. 15 the commission unanimously passed the first reading of legislation to make the change. The final vote may come Dec. 13.

Museum Park, formerly Bicentennial Park, is at 1075 Biscayne Blvd. It’s bordered on the south by the FEC Slip and AmericanAirlines Arena, on the west by Biscayne Boulevard, and on the north by the Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. The eastern edge runs alongside Biscayne Bay and has an established public baywalk with landscaping, lighting, a walkway and benches.

The ordinance renaming the park in recognition of Mr. Ferré was sponsored by Commissioner Wifredo “Willy” Gort, who asked that all commissioners join in as sponsors.

“He has served this community for decades,” Mr. Gort said of Mr. Ferré. He worked very hard in the development of Bayfront Park and was instrumental in bringing international banking to Miami, Mr. Gort said.

The ordinance references some of Mr. Ferré’s many years of public service and contributions to the area. Mr. Ferré was mayor of Miami from 1973 to 1985 – the city’s first Hispanic mayor.

Mr. Ferré served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1967 to 1968 and later as vice chairman of the Dade County Board of Commissioners.

“You can’t say Miami without saying Maurice Ferré,” said Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo. “I can’t think of any official that’s made more of an impact than he has.”

Mr. Carollo, a former Miami mayor himself, said Mr. Ferré was a man of vision. “The redevelopment of downtown began with his ideas,” he said.

“I learned a tremendous amount from him,” said Mr. Carollo. “He taught me a lot.”

Commissioner Manolo Reyes echoed the praise.

“I admire Maurice,” he said. Mr. Ferré started the development of Brickell, working hard to bring international banks to South Florida and make Miami a center for international trade, he said.

Mr. Ferré, a business consultant, scholar and author in private life, was born in Puerto Rico and moved here in 1953.

Along with elected posts, he was appointed to several presidential advisory boards, chaired Miami’s Downtown Development Authority and served on the Florida Transportation Commission.

Commissioner Ken Russell said he first met Mr. Ferré when he began to campaign for the District 2 commissioner seat.

“He spoke at my swearing-in … and has been a mentor since,” Mr. Russell said.

Mr. Russell said he hopes Mr. Ferré lives long enough to see Museum Park reach full potential and Puerto Rico to become a state.

Mayor Francis Suarez also spoke highly of Mr. Ferré and said the renaming of the park “is an honor befitting the man.”

Mr. Suarez said Mr. Ferré was always focused on the future.

“Whether transportation, Brickell, parks … for him, it was always about tomorrow,” he said.

Naming the park for Mr. Ferré, said Mr. Suarez, will serve as a valuable reminder to all of his tremendous contributions to the city “for every single tomorrow.”

10 Responses to Miami to rename Museum Park for Maurice Ferré

  1. Mike Blandino

    November 28, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    Mr. Maurice Ferre! My childhood Mayor Of Miami! He deserves it! He made it happen in 1976 for the Wonderful celebration he did in our city at Bicentennial Park!
    Mike Blandino Scull ! Congratulations! Scull Sisters’ Grandson !

    • Jose Zozaya

      November 30, 2018 at 8:03 am

      Our congratulation for Maurice, he deserves more than that

  2. Lourdes Ferrer-Diaz

    November 29, 2018 at 12:27 pm

    I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Mayor Ferre for over 30 years and have worked with him on many political campaigns and projects. He was one of Miami’s most loved and respected mayors and to this day many still refer to him as “El mejor alcalde de Miami”. Ferre’s vision of Miami as an international city is what has made Miami what it is today. I am so pleased that he is getting this well deserved recognition. Congratulations, Mayor Maurice A. Ferre, this honor is well deserved.
    Lourdes Ferrer-Diaz

  3. Rey

    November 29, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    Well deserved honor. He led Miami through very hard times.

  4. D. Barboni

    November 29, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    Well deserved. A visionary whom helped shape Miami. His love & passion for the growth and success of Miami transformed the city into a globally recognized city of diversity, culture, and love.

  5. Earl Worsham

    November 30, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    Maurice Ferre was the greatest mayor and visionary of any city I have ever visited. When I came to Miami in the early 1970s no major project have been built since the 1920s. People were sleeping in the streets and the City was in trouble.
    Maurice Ferre said this is going to change, and change it did through his perseverance, intelligence, savvy, drive and vision.
    Maurice Ferre is my hero.

  6. M Stein

    December 2, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Great guy and all but why rename a park, again? Anyone that knows anything about marketing understands the cost and effort required to establish name recognition.

    Name the new administrative office building after Mr. Ferre. No gripe with the man receiving an honor but between this, the absurd Little Havana flag, and all the shenanigans going on at City Hall our tax dollars are just being thrown out the window. I bet Mr Ferre would agree.

    • M Gleason

      December 4, 2018 at 9:40 pm

      I’ll bet he’d agree, as well. In a city that manages to turn what should be an easy-to-navigate numbered street grid into a GPS nightmare. How positively refreshing it has been to have a park containing museums called Museum Park.

  7. Best Roofing in Miami

    December 3, 2018 at 12:54 am

    He deserves it! congratulations for Maurice !!!

  8. Frank Alvarez,RRT,CPFT

    January 14, 2019 at 9:23 am

    I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of known him personally. Most of all, a generous human being, very caring with others and loved by all citizens in Miami Dade.

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