Leave West Matheson Hammock entry alone

The recent op-ed about the “soon to be improved” West Matheson Hammock Park barely touched upon the dirty side of this project.

In typical Miami-Dade fashion, the story behind these “improvements” centers around wealthy homeowners and powerful public officials who want to block access and are using the power of the commission and the ruse of “improvements” to do it.

I have been visiting West Matheson Hammock park weekly for more than 20 years, with full access off School House Road. It has been a little piece of paradise for people yearning for a safe, natural outdoor environment.

West Matheson Hammock is likely the last purely natural public land left in Miami-Dade. There is refreshingly little paved area, and most of it remains rural.

It does not look like a manicured city park — and those of us who have been enjoying it for many years don’t want it turned into one.

More than 4,000 people have signed a petition to stop the changes that Miami-Dade Parks & Recreation are forcing on us. We’re asking the county not to spend money here, but where it’s really needed — to shore up East Matheson Hammock against sea-level rise.

This entire problem has been caused by wealthy homeowners who bought property adjacent to West Matheson Park, and now want to block access to the same citizens who are paying the tax for their roads. With a powerful ex-commissioner’s backing, they privatized a city street — not by purchasing the street — but by building a security gate and manning it with a guard, on the main thoroughfare to the park.

I watched this happen over a 20-year period. It’s the “last arriving man” syndrome. Property owners knew they were buying land adjacent to a county park and now want to close the door and keep everyone out.

It is wrong and an illconceived use of public funds.

– Joyce Landry, Coconut Grove