Memories of Grapeland Heights Park

Anytime someone celebrates The Way Things Were or declares that the past was somehow better than the present, they're usually dismissed as old-fashioned, out of touch, or some other term with a negative connotation. But, what about when The Way Things Were is actually preferable to The Way Things Are? I believe Grapeland Heights Park is a perfect example of this. Grapeland Heights Park had a significant part of it converted to a water park several years ago.

In many ways, Grapeland Heights Park was far superior to Grapeland Water Park.

• Grapeland Water Park is open only for a few months each year during the summer. Even then, it closes frequently when thunderstorms threaten. Grapeland Heights Park was open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in any kind of weather.
• If a kid poops in any of the pools at Grapeland Water Park, the lifeguards are forced to evacuate everyone from the pool until it is properly sterilized (Who wants to go back in now?). Grapeland Heights Park did not have any pools, so you weren’t in danger of having a close encounter with Johnny’s log!
• Grapeland Water Park charges admission (2013 prices are $7 for kids ages 2-13; $12 for Miami-Dade County residents age 14+; and $15 for non-Miami-Dade County residents age 14+). Grapeland Heights Park was always free to everyone.
• Grapeland Water Park features artwork by Romero Britto. Grapeland Heights Park did not. Nuff said!
• Grapeland Water Park features a pool called Shipwreck Island, another pool called Pirate’s Plunge, and yet another pool called Captain’s Lagoon, along with a lazy river called Buccaneer River Ride. Oh, the variety... NOT! Grapeland Heights Park had baseball and softball fields, a football field (including goal posts!) that could also be used for soccer, a playground, tennis courts, a racquetball wall, basketball courts, and a recreation area with ping-pong tables. There was even a public library!
• Grapeland Water Park appeals to a very narrow age group, mostly children 12 and under. Grapeland Heights Park had something for all ages, whether you were a kid wanting to swing in the playground, a teen wanting to shoot hoops with friends, a middle age guy wanting to get his heart pumping playing tennis, or a senior citizen wanting to just go for a nice long walk.

Is my comparison between Grapeland Water Park and Grapeland Heights Park tinged with nostalgia? Maybe. I do have a lot of fun memories growing up and going to what was not just my neighborhood park, but one of the best parks around. When I saw construction under way to convert a large part of it to a water park, I knew that this was the end of yet another one of my childhood institutions, gone forever like so many other special places around the rapidly growing and changing City of Miami. And that did make me sad. Not so much because of nostalgia, but because I truly feel that Grapeland Heights Park was much better than Grapeland Water Park, and I think just about everybody who visited Grapeland Heights Park back in the day agrees!