arcola-park-web.jpgMIAMI — Children who use Liberty City’s Arcola Park have a new hometown hero: Miami-Dade resident Mauricio Perez, winner of MLB/Chevrolet’s Diamonds and Dreams Field Makeover Promotion, designated the nonprofit Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade as the recipient of his $20,000 award.

As a result, Liberty City’s Arcola Park is one of 12 fields across the country receiving a ball field makeover. A grand reopening and ribbon cutting took place on Wednesday, Dec. 19 for the new and improved Arcola Park field at 1680 N.W. 87 Street, with some of the Miami Marlins on site with games and prizes.

The ball field improvements, provided by experts from Ripken Design and Fields, include infield watering and grading, sod installation, new bases, base anchors and backstop pad, batter’s box reconstruction, new dugout benches, and soil conditioner for continued maintenance. 

Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces further contributed to the Arcola Park field renovation, replacing the backstop and perimeter fencing and upgrading the field’s bleachers. 

Officials said the promotion is part of Chevrolet’s commitment to celebrating community parks, as well as present and future all-stars. Special guests at the grand reopening and ribbon cutting included Chevrolet Diamonds and Dreams Promotion winner Mauricio Perez; children participating in Miami-Dade Parks’ after-school program supported by The Children’s Trust; representatives from Chevrolet; Miami-Dade County District 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime; Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade President Dick Anderson; Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Director Jack Kardys; and Billy the Marlin.

For more information on the MLB/Chevy Diamonds and Dreams Promotion, visit mlb.mlb.com/sponsors/chevy/building_diamonds/. For more information about Miami-Dade Parks, call 3-1-1, or visit miamidade.gov/parks