1 Crandon Park - Civic Pride on Key Biscayne

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Crandon Park and the Rickenbacker Causeway = A source of Civic Pride in Miami Dade

It was a time to remember. The second World War was over. Putting the pieces of life back together and seeking solitude together
with loved ones was high on the priority list. Key Biscayne was made to order. Perfect weather, swimming, miles of beach,
and an ocean breeze pushing through the thousands of Coconut Palm trees. Rickenbacker Causeway was named after
famed W.W.II pilot Eddie Rickenbacker who for years participated in the opening ceremonies at the 4th of July Parade.
As a side note, if you were to stop long enough to engage in a conversation with an old man throwing fresh shrimp into the air
at the beach to feed the seagulls every Sunday, you would meet Captain Eddie Rickenbacker.
After being downed and stranded in the South Pacific and near death on a raft with a few other soldiers, a seagull, hundreds of
miles from shore landed on his hat. The gull was caught and eaten. The inedible parts were used to catch small fish and
it is that seagull, that gave up his life that ultimately fed and saved Captain and Crew. Captain Rickenbacker was forever grateful
and expressed his gratitude to other seagulls by a feast of a meal every Sunday morning as a bucket of shrimp were thrown piece
by piece into the air. To those who would walk past shaking their heads at the old man wasting food and passing judgment
would never realize how much they actually owed to that man who helped to preserve their freedom to pass judgment so quickly.
Today, many would just roller blade past lost in their walkman music complaining about the mess that the gulls were making.

The following appeared in the official guide to the opening ceremonies of Crandon Park and the Rickenbacker Causeway.

     Crandon Park and the Rickenbacker Causeway are the result of objective thinking and planning.
     The Dade County Commission in creating these new facilities has looked far into the future, anticipating the recreational needs of an ever increasing permanent and visitor population.
     Realizing that adequate bathing beaches and recreation centers are vital needs to the community, in the development of youth and the welfare of all citizens, the county foresightedly acquired in Crandon Park the last available oceanfront land suitable for public use. In planning Crandon Park, progressive construction steps will provide adequate conveniences and facilities for the present as well as the future.
     Crandon Park and Rickenbaker Causeway mark the realization of long time planning. Their tremendous obstacles including construction handicaps thrown up by a world war.
     The county assumed responsibility for building the span from the Miami mainland to Virginia Key as well as Key Biscayne would assist materially in liquidating causeway costs. To eliminate controversy over the use of established streets from which a causeway would leave the Miami shore, the county commission purchased private property with a deed restricting the use of the land exclusively to causeway construction. This stipulation eliminated for all time the possibility of unsightly structures and sign boards abutting the causeway approach.
     While the county secured bay bottom right of way, Edmund Friedman, then county engineer, launched preliminary plans, traffic surveys and a financial analysis including cost estimates.
     The nation's preparedness program just prior to the country's entry into World War II curtailed delivery of structural steel to such an extent that causeway construction work was considerably hampered. After war was declared, steel became increasingly difficult to obtain. Work on the causeway came to a virtual halt. Rising costs of material and labor spiraled the original construction cost estimate from $4,000,000 to $6,000,000.
     Completion of the causeway now makes available the use of Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. Within 10 minutes drive from downtown Miami, the future residential and economic development of these keys has vast and unlimited possibilities as did Miami Beach when it was connected with the mainland. With proper planning and zoning, that area of Key Biscayne south of Crandon Park can be made the finest, most beautiful and most enjoyable, residential community in the world. Virginia Key, likewise, has limitless possibilities.
     That is the future of this new land - unless ruined by those into whose hands its future development will be placed.

It was a different time and place. Now open for families and generations to come. Click here>>

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