MIAMI.- Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo inaugurated the second phase of the renovation of Bucky Dent Park, a $4 million project that began in January 2024.
“In total, the investment is 4 million dollars. In this second phase, which focuses mainly on the basketball court and the building, we are talking about an expenditure of 2.8 million,” said Mayor Bovo, who recalled his electoral promise of not only opening the city’s parks, but also ensuring that they had programming, “so that parents felt safe when sending their children.”
Indeed, in this second phase, a basketball and volleyball court will be built, the roof will be repaired, smart lights will be installed and the layout of the place will be changed. The improvements will include the softball field as well as the water park.
Bucky Dent Park, the largest park on the western side of the Palmetto, is named after Russell Earl “Bucky” Dent, a former Major League Baseball player and coach who was present at the ceremony on Saturday, July 20.
Dent played for the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals from 1973 to 1984. As a manager, he managed the Yankees.
“It is an honor to have Bucky Dent here, who was a boy from Hialeah with a dream similar to that of today’s kids of being a professional in his sport. Especially because I am a Yankee,” Bovo said.
“We’re also going to be renovating the gym, the splash park and the special needs center,” said Michael Festa, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
“We will also be adding about 120 trees and a dog park for West Hialeah residents to bring their pets,” said Festa, who indicated that the field will be completed this summer and the entire project will be completed in the summer of 2025.
The park, located at 2250 W 60th Street, Hialeah, continues to operate while these renovations are taking place.
(email protected)