One of Homestead’s most recognizable community gathering places is entering an exciting new chapter, and residents are being asked to help write it.
The City of Homestead has officially launched the Reimagining Harris Field Park initiative, a comprehensive master planning effort that will establish a long-term vision for the future of the City’s largest parks. Rather than focusing on a single project or improvement, the initiative is designed to create a roadmap that will guide future investments, programming, amenities, and operations for years to come.
Located on approximately 63 acres between U.S. 1 and N.E. 12th Avenue, Harris Field Park has served generations of residents as a destination for youth athletics, community events, festivals, and recreation. The park is home to baseball, softball fields, football and soccer facilities, basketball courts, the rodeo arena, event spaces, and hundreds of parking spaces. While the park remains one of Homestead’s most heavily used recreational assets, many of its facilities have aged over time, creating an opportunity to reimagine how the park can better serve future generations.
The master planning process will evaluate existing conditions throughout the park while identifying opportunities to enhance recreational amenities, improve accessibility, strengthen programming, modernize infrastructure, and create inviting public spaces that reflect the evolving needs of the community. The completed plan will include conceptual designs, programming recommendations, planning-level cost estimates, and a phased implementation strategy to guide future improvements.
Unlike a traditional construction project, the Reimagining Harris Field Park initiative begins with listening.
Community engagement is the foundation of the planning process, and the City is encouraging residents, park users, neighborhood organizations, athletic groups, and local stakeholders to participate through a series of public workshops and surveys. The first interactive workshop, held in early August, gave attendees the opportunity to learn about the planning process, discuss the park’s strengths and challenges, identify priorities for future investment, and share ideas for amenities and experiences they would like to see as part of the park’s future. Additional public outreach sessions will be held in the coming weeks. The community can find details and updates at HomesteadFL.gov/HarrisField.
In addition to the workshops, residents will have multiple ways to participate. A statistically valid survey is being distributed to a selected number of households, while an online public open public survey will allow anyone in the community to provide feedback. Together, these efforts will ensure the master plan reflects a broad cross-section of community voices and priorities.
The initiative also builds upon previous City planning efforts that identified Harris Field Park as a priority for long-term investment. According to the 2023 City of Homestead Parks Master Plan, some highlighted opportunities include the improvement of parking areas, renovation of aging facilities, increase shade, enhance landscaping, modernize restrooms, improve athletic amenities, and expand recreational opportunities. The new master plan will revisit those recommendations while incorporating fresh ideas generated directly by the community.
As Homestead continues to grow, city leaders recognize that parks play an increasingly important role in supporting quality of life, public health, youth sports, community events, and neighborhood connectivity. By creating a comprehensive vision today, the City aims to ensure Harris Field Park continues to evolve into a vibrant destination that serves residents of all ages for decades to come.
Residents interested in learning more about the project, participating in upcoming workshops, or completing the community survey can visit the Reimagining Harris Field Park project page at Homesteadfl.gov/HarrisField for project updates, meeting information, and engagement opportunities. Community members are also encouraged to share their ideas by completing the public survey at http://www.HarrisFieldParkSurvey.org. Every response will help shape the future vision for Harris Field Park and ensure the Master Plan reflects the priorities of the Homestead community.
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