I discovered this new to me park in Delray Beach recently but its origins go back to the dedication…read moreof the former civic center site on March 8, 1964, and opening in 1965 following the passing of Catherine Strong, the parks namesake. Catherine Elizabeth Link Strong, was a pioneering civic leader who became the city's first female mayor and a strong advocate for civil rights and the community. Over the years, the park has evolved into an important neighborhood recreation space. Today the park has a splash park with water features activated by a handprint sensor, two covered playgrounds, pickleball courts, full basketball courts, and a fitness and walking trail. The park also features picnic tables, rental pavilions, open green space, bicycle parking, and restrooms. I really enjoyed visiting this park which is such a great community recreational space and learning more about Catherine Strong who left a remarkable legacy as a trailblazer for women in Delray Beach.

Pride Promoters Park in Coral Springs may be small, but its recent renovation has transformed this…read morehalf acre neighborhood park into a special recreational space. Originally built in the 1990s, the park is named after the local civic group Pride Promoters, which formed in the late 1980s to organize neighborhood beautification campaigns and encourage community pride in some of the city's older residential areas. At just half an acre, Pride Promoters Park fits the definition of a pocket park, a small public space designed to provide outdoor recreation and gathering opportunities within a neighborhood. Despite its compact size, the newly renovated park offers an impressive range of amenities, including public art, an accessible playground, renovated basketball court, outdoor fitness equipment, benches, picnic tables, shaded areas, pavilions, and an open play area. The renovation was estimated to cost $345,000, including $225,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding. The project took a little longer than originally planned, with the reopening delayed while the new asphalt basketball court was completed and allowed to cure before its surface was painted. What I especially like about this renovation is how much was accomplished in such a small space. The improvements make the park more functional and inviting while giving nearby residents a place to play, exercise, relax and spend time outdoors. Pride Promoters Park is a great example of how even a tiny neighborhood park can have a big impact. With its new amenities and welcoming design, this little pocket park has been elevated into something truly special for the Coral Springs community.

Nice, interesting little park with a few descriptive signs. If you are riding the Water Taxi, it's…read morea great place to spend time while you are waiting for the next boat.

I've been here several times. I didn't realize it, but the last time was exactly 5 years ago in…read moreJuly 2014. This was shortly after it had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. At the time it was only the 2nd place in Pompano listed. For some reason, my review wasn't listed in Yelp at the time. Since I was first here, the trees have grown and the lawns have become lush and green. One of the newer plaques lists the various trees planted here in memoriam. They were all donated. It is within view of the intracoastal waterway. This is what I wrote about it before -- all still true: This prehistoric Indian Mound Park honors the ancestors of the Tequesta Indians who used to bury the bones of their ancestors all together in large piles. It is now covered with grass and in the middle of the mound is a small pedestal with a plaque on it saying that it was created as a ceremonial burial place about 1300 AD. Surrounding the green grassy hill and central plaque is a small path and a couple benches. In front of the benches, there are pedestals with more information about the Mound. One embedded plaque (looks original) on the ground indicates it is also a bird sanctuary. The large leafy trees make it a shady spot for reflection and rest. There have never been any other people there when I've visited. Parking is limited nearby. There are a few spaces along the street parallel to the intracoastal.

Took a short walk in this fort lauderdale park but was a big disappointment. Very unkept and not a…read moresafe location a block from Broward Blvd. Not a place to fish or walk your dog or really anything. One picnic table to eat at but the water is view is blocked by trees. Only a couple parking spaces.

This is a nearly 2 acre park behind a Salvation Army just before you get to I-95. It runs along 500…read morefeet of the New River. At the entrance to the park is a sign explaining the historical significance of the north fork of the New River. This is the only section of the New River that is still in a natural state. The New Ricer runs three and a half miles through the city of Fort Lauderdale. It is lined with mangroves, pond apple and cypress trees, and bromeliads. Many native plants and animals live here. Also along the river are some of the oldest African American communities in the city. The water in the north fork of the river is a brackish mixture of fresh water from the Everglades and salt water from the Intracoastal. In 1948 when the Boulevard Bridge was built, the north fork was cut off from the south fork. The park has a small parking lot. An observation platform was built and it is supposed to have a canoe/ kayak launch but I didn't see where you could get a boat into the water. The park has many native plants including mangroves and pond apple trees and it is a certified wildlife habitat. There was also a dirty looking picnic table. Unfortunately the park looks like it used by homeless people. I found evidence that someone was camping out here. Some furniture, probably from the Salvation Army was dumped in the park. It didn't feel safe. Usually the parks in Ft Lauderdale are immaculately kept. This is the first one I have come across that made feel uneasy. Five stars for the history but the city needs to clean it up.

Coral Springs has a lot of parks! This makes number 30 that I have been to and I am still finding…read moremore. There are twenty-two communities in Coral Springs and they each have their own park with a playground and then there are also the larger town parks with sports fields and more athletic amenities. Six Acres Whispering Oaks is one of the neighborhood parks. There is a small parking area, large open play space, picnic tables and pavilion, and benches. The park is so open that you can't tell where some of the backyards of the neighborhood homes end and the park begins. Whispering Oaks has two fenced in play areas for children, one with just swings and the other with swings and a slide and climbing structure. Normally the playgrounds in Coral Springs are not fenced in but Whispering Oaks is surrounded by the Stranahan River. The fence keeps the kiddos in a secure area and away from the water. While walking near the water I saw several ducks, ibis, and a great egret. The water makes this park a great place to bird watch. Or come for a picnic or play. Coral Springs parks are always beautifully kept and they provide the community with an inviting place to take in nature in the city.

Plantation City of When I saw this business page on Yelp I…read morestarted to cry. My parents moved from Fort Lauderdale to Plantation when I graduated from high school in 1966. It was a beautiful house just off Broward Boulevard and State Road 7 aka Highway 441. NOTE (Local understanding: Due to the extensive concurrency, many locals use the term "State Road 7" to refer to the 441 corridor, particularly in the Miami-to-West Palm Beach area.) When I left for my Junior Year of college I went to Kentucky in 1968 and married there in 1972. When I divorced I brought my child back to Plantation in 1979 and raised her there. She went to Plantation Elementary, Middle School and High School. I'm pretty sure I reviewed the library and golf course but also other businesses in the surrounding area. I want to Thank Ariel especially for her review. I never took an interest in the history of the city. I certainly recommend living in Plantation and raising a family there. If my daughter had come home to Plantation after college I might still be there.

Plantation, Florida, is a charming suburban city in central Broward County, just a short drive from…read moreFort Lauderdale. Known for its once acre lots, lush greenery, family friendly atmosphere, and convenient location, Plantation offers a blend of small town living but with easy access to the amenities of larger, more urban cities. Like many cities in Florida, Plantation was founded by a northerner looking to leave winter behind. Frederick Peters, a millionaire heir to a shoe business moved his family to South Florida in 1931 to escape the harsh Midwest winters for the health of his son. He purchased 10,000 acres along State Road 7/441, which had been built to connect Miami-Dade to Palm Beach County. At the time the area was desolate and undeveloped. Peters hired esteemed architect Russell Pancoast to develop a City master plan which included a separation of commercial, industrial and residential zoning districts. One acre lots with gardens and fruit trees were offered for sale. The City of Plantation was incorporated on April 30, 1953 with 500 residents and a budget of $1,288. An old feed warehouse which held the first council meeting became the site of the first City Hall, Fire Station and Police Department. Ellsworth D. Gage was the first Mayor of Plantation. The name of the city came from the Everglades Plantation Company who previously owned the land and tried to launch an unsuccessful rice plantation. Today approximately 100,000 people call Plantation home. Plantation has peaceful tree lined streets and 43 parks offering events, sports, playgrounds, hiking, and all kinds of outdoor recreation. Plantation parks include Liberty Tree Park, Central Park, and Plantation Heritage Park. I especially enjoy walking at Plantation Preserve and Linear Trail. Shopping opportunities abound at Broward Mall or the new Plantation Walk on the site of the former Fashion Mall. Plantation Walk also has a number of new restaurants like Ford's Garage, Rock and Brews, Crack'd, Frank Pepe, and Tacocraft. There's a diverse selection of restaurants catering to different tastes, ranging from casual dining to more upscale options along the University Drive corridor. A points of interest in the city is the Plantation Historical Museum where you can view changing displays for free. During the holidays the city puts up a beautiful holiday light display at city hall and throughout the year there are many hometown parades, festivals, and events for the community. I enjoy visiting the parks and restaurants but Plantation also looks like a safe and welcoming place to live.

Hollywood has five pocket parks along the intracoastal, across from North Beach. Each park is named…read moreafter a different species of sea turtle. Parking is by app for $2 an hour. If you cross the street you can reach the public beach access. This park is alongside the Sheridan Street Bridge. This park is named for the Loggerhead sea turtle. Loggerhead turtles are named for their large heads, which supports powerful jaw muscles that enable them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks and conch. They are the most abundant species of sea turtle but are still endangered due to a reduction in their numbers from being caught in commercial fishing nets and loss of nesting habitat. This park has a picnic area, restroom, and shelters. Of the five sea turtle pocket parks in Hollywood, this is the only one currently closed. Historically boaters have used the intracoastal off this park as a place to dump unwanted vessels causing an environmental problem and an eyesore. Broward County is attempting to clean up this area and complete 3.2 million of improvements that include boat slips and amenities such as new bathrooms, showers and laundry areas, a picnic shelter, temporary on-shore dinghy docking, a sewage pump-out station and 29 overnight mooring spaces on both the north and south sides of Sheridan Street. For now the park remains closed.

The City of Plantation is known for its Southern Live Oak tree lined streets, shopping centers, and…read morethe busy Plantation Walk for eateries and seasonal festivals. If you're into pickleball or want to see a live music band, check out Plantation Central Park. While most of the city is thriving, sadly the 50 year old Broward Mall on University Drive, a once customer heavy powerhouse, is now a deserted embarrassment.

City of Plantation is located in Broward County and was incorporated in 1953. There are…read moreapproximately 100,000 residents and the city has been rapidly expanding since the 1970s. When I lived in Sunrise, I was always driving through or visiting Plantation. It's a nice city with lots of trees and pretty houses, especially at the Plantation Acres area. They had nice parks, playgrounds, and many amenities. Just like neighboring cities, it is rapidly expanding and the population is increasing. Overall, it is a great spot to visit.