It certainly was wonderful to have been born in Miami Beach, grown up in the Miami area,North Miami.
Boating on Biscayne bay, the beaches, fishing piers. The 'Skipper Chuck' show,Jackie Gleason, Convention Center, The Grove,motels,Lincoln Road (with vehicles), Miami Beach! In the early seventies, just barely driving age we would drive, "Cruise" Miami Beach, the very elderly lined up on the porches of the motels that would become the "Deco" district.
Truly "Diverse" population sprinkled with Northeastern US folk, foreign nationals and later, Cuban immigrants.A certain élan,tropical urbane.
And conservation ethic. Even on Key Biscayne we saw public land and space commitment with Greynolds Park-a sizeable chunk of the "Key",and outstanding beach access. The promotion of westward expansion well in to and beyond the Everglades to the west,"Jetport" was the natural evolution and hoped for,assumed transformation by some, complete with a full array Chamber Of Commerce and various Group endorsement- cause for backlash and creation of the Big Cypress Preserve and concerted efforts to establish and defend urban boundary, protection of Everglades 'Buffer', "Eastward Ho!" movement. The stance may have accommodated and spurned interest and development in the original "Core",although I believe the best land was developed first,and Downtown Miami would always remain a focal point,yet the "Sprawl" measures have probably been beneficial, creating a more livable and manageable region.
When I moved to Jacksonville in the late seventies my parents picked me up at the airport and,on the way to Clay county, my folks drove me to Downtown. My dad was so enchanted with, and proud of Downtown Jacksonville.......
POTENTIAL!!
