Galiano Green - 2016 PUBLIC SPACE CHALLENGE
Bike Walk Coral Gables was selected as finalist for the 2016 Public Space Challenge.
The Galiano Green creates a public green space with seating, shade, and bike amenities on a leftover space along a downtown Gables parking lot. A catalyst project to a slightly larger park, the short term plan is to activate and improve an existing strip of green that residents and visitors can enjoy in the middle of a bustling urban area.
Downtown Coral Gables lacks public civic space. While the city is known for its tree-lined streets and high quality green spaces, this is not the case in the city’s most dense area. The city’s population is 50,000, though it doubles during the day when office workers, service personnel, and tourists flock to one of the more popular downtowns in the county. Population and tourism continue to increase in the downtown area with added residential units, streetscape improvements, and the implementation of the citywide bike master plan. Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods are one of the rare areas in Miami where one can still live affordably while also enjoying a high quality of life. To build a sense of community and contribute to the livability of downtown, the area needs additional public spaces where people can have lunch, sit in the shade on a hot day, or just enjoy the sights.
The Galiano Green – centrally located in the downtown - will offer a passive space to gather, interact, and relax in a natural environment. The park will be highly desired and utilized during the 18-month construction of the Miracle Mile streetscape and attract people of all generations with movable furniture, bike facilities, and plenty of shade. Located on the Galiano bike boulevard and the envisioned "Downtown Greenway," the park will have a bike repair station, covered bike parking, a water station, and other amenities to cater to bike commuters and recreational cyclists in the area.
With the support of the City of Coral Gables' Public Works Department, Parks and Recreation, Parking Department, City Manager, and other City staff, Bike Walk Coral Gables submitted the Galiano Green request for the 2016 Public Space Challenge the end of June, 2016.