On October 31, 2017, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2017-30082, approving a Management Agreement with the Sabrina Cohen Foundation (the “Foundation”), for the Foundation to raise the funds and be responsible for all the expenses related to the City’s design, development, and construction of an Adaptive Recreation Center (the “Center”) to be located within a portion of the City’s P72 surface parking lot at 53rd Street and Collins Avenue. The Agreement provides that the City would be the owner of the Center, which would be used for the primary purpose of providing the general public and, specifically persons living with physical and cognitive disabilities with an accessible access point to the beach and related beach programming.  

On July 2, 2018, pursuant to the Agreement’s terms, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2018-30377 approving the Foundation’s proposed Concept Plan for the Center.

On January 16, 2019, the City Commission approved Amendment No. 1 via Resolution No. 2019-30671 updating certain technical references, consistent with the Concept Plan approved by the City Commission on July 2, 2018 and applicable provisions of the City Code.  

On July 31, 2019, the City Commission approved Amendment No. 2 via Resolution No. 2019-30922 extending the fundraising schedule and deadlines in the Agreement by 12 months in order to provide the Foundation with additional time to raise donations for the design and construction of the Center. 

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Foundation was entitled to an extension to their fundraising schedule and deadline, which is set to expire in September 2021. 

The Foundation has worked with Miami-Dade County to secure funding for an accessible park to complement the mission of the future Adaptive Recreation Center. Funding has been secured through the Miami-Dade County Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program, from which the County has allocated $577,000 for the design and construction of public infrastructure improvements associated with the development of an inclusive outdoor park and beach.

With funding identified from the County, the Parks and Recreation Department (the “Department”) will begin working with the Foundation on developing the park project.

During the July 30, 2021 Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee meeting, the Committee approved the scope and conceptual plan for the inclusive outdoor park and beach project (Exhibit “A”). With an approved scope and conceptual and the funding identified from the County, the Department may begin working with the Foundation on developing the project including public outreach with the Mid Beach Neighborhood Association.