My name is Leo Davidson, and I've been residing in Fort Lauderdale, FL for four years now. Throughout these years, I've been waiting for an update to the Holiday Park playground, yet there's been no answer. When I first moved here in 2022, visiting the park was one of the first things my family and I did. When we got there, I was just six years old. I was hoping for a nice playground, but when I arrived I saw a very small 0-5 years old structure and nothing for me and my little brother and sister to do. Just poles, dirt, and tons of mulch. Nothing for a poor little kid to do. But now, four years later, I see the same thing rotting. 

Hardy Park in District 4 has gotten some amazing treatment, yet in District 2 we have Holiday Park Playground. It has been in ruins for five years, but Hardy Park was just fine and got rebuilt. I have lived here in District 2 for four years and nothing has changed. This is by far one of the worst things in the city of Fort Lauderdale, and I don't want it to stay. I worry that by the time it is finally rebuilt I will be too old to use it anymore. Now my six year old brother is worrying about the same thing. Will my three year old sister worry about it too? Every day she asks "Can we go to the playground,” and the answer is no every time because there is nothing for us to do. The other reason is that it is far too rusty and dangerous to play on, and the old train has wild street cats living under it. Will this delay her gross motor skills? My six year old brother needs PT and OT, and a new playground would be the perfect place. 

Now, I have gotten a response from the office of Commissioner Steven Glassman.  They said the park should get a notice to proceed (NTP) by the end of March 2026. They also said that the playground below should also get a groundbreaking date by spring. It doesn't take that long to build a playground, so we should have one by summer. Below I have pasted Commissioner Glassman's response via change.org:

Mar 10, 2026
From the Office of Commissioner Steven Glassman:

Commissioner Glassman has also been very concerned regarding the park delays and has been very vocal in his conversations with City Staff, in particular the City Manager, with whom he meets with monthly. He has also been in communications with the Victoria Park Civic Association, who has received regular updates regarding the status of the park from city staff and most recently, the City Manager Rickelle Williams, who spoke at their February meeting.

Below is the latest status:

The Construction contract has been fully executed for the playground renovations, baseball dugout shade improvements, wayfinding signage, new dog park, landscaping, and trail enhancements. A purchase order and notice to proceed will be issued this month (March), with a groundbreaking anticipated Spring 2026.

I am going to sign you up for our newsletter so you can be apprised on the status going forward.

From some of the questions posed below, you may not have been aware of latest updates, ongoing progress, and communications from the last few months.

Thanks,
Office of Commissioner Steven Glassman
City of Fort Lauderdale

___________________________________

NO DONATIONS REQUIRED!! 

___________________________________