April 20, 2005
Miami Park to honor Operation Peter Pan
by Julio C. Zangroniz
Some great news from Miami!
Local authorities are in the early stages of turning old Camp Matecumbe into a park to honor the history of Operation Pedro Pan, which brought to the United States over 14,000 Cuban children during the first few years after the triumph of fidel castro's revolution, when the decrepit dictator started to turn Cuba's dreams of freedom into a Communist nightmare.
This writer, himself, was one of the thousands of boys who lived in Camp Matecumbe, staying there from July-December 1962
In an article in today's edition of the Miami Herald reporter Susan Anasagasti details how the then-remote outpost on the outskirts of Miami became a haven for thousands of the unaccompanied children. Today, the relentless march of "progress" has left the 22 acres now known as Boystown surrounded by unending urbanizations and a small airport.
The park could also become a home to a monument that will honor those who have died fighting castro's Communist regime.
"This park is unusual because of all the history on the land. It won't be a traditional neighborhood park. This one is special," said Barbara Falsey, chief of planning and research for the Miami-Dade Parks Department.
The design process is estimated to take about a year, with construction to follow shortly afterward, according to Falsey. Ideas for the memorial have already begun to take shape.
Currently, Boystown holds about 22 structures, including a gym, dormitories and a chapel used by the Pedro Pan boys. The park is expected to be developed around those structures and may feature a network of walking trails and possibly a museum of Pedro Pan memorabilia.
In 1955, the land was purchased by the Diocese of St. Augustine, with the idea of building a summer camp in what was then one of the most remote rural outposts of Southwest Miami. During the heyday of Camp Matecumbe, in 1962, the boys would ride in buses to visit downtown Miami or relatives in the city, and the vehicles had to roll for 15-20 minutes before any houses were to be found among the thick pine or citrus groves. Today, the houses are practically at the camp gates.
After the Archdiocese of Miami opened the camp, the "pedropan" boys began to arrive in 1961, as detailed in a book by Ivonne Conde called "Operation Peter Pan." Conde herself is an alumnus of Operation Peter Pan, though she didn't live in Camp Matecumbe, which only housed boys.
The Catholic Church still runs a small camp for kids with special needs at the site, as well as housing dozens of undocumented children there, but these activities are expected to conclude by May 2006, according to a spokesperson for the Archdiocese.
When the Archdiocese decided to sell the site, Ellie Chovel, then president of the Operation Pedro Pan Group, fought to convince county officials to purchase the land, in view of the rapid urban growth in the West Kendall area. The county already owned an adjacent 77-acre pine reserve.
"I found out that a developer had made an offer to buy the property. I was saddened by the news, so I contacted the parks department," explained Chovel.
The county agreed that the area needed a park and purchased the land for $2.4 million, using grants as well as funds donated by Operation Pedro Pan alumni. "They saw the beauty and the historical importance. I'm thrilled. It's very touching to see this happening in our lifetime. To me, it is the most fitting end for the land and the site. It is just the perfect thing," declared Chovel to the Miami Herald.
Miami-Dade County Commission chairman Joe Martinez, whose district includes the land where Camp Matecumbe is located, agreed and worked to find the proponents of the park and memorial a permanent home for the facilities they envisioned. "They didn't have the funds, or the location. But I told them we're going to get this done. We decided that Camp Matecumbe would be the perfect place to put up the monument," Martinez told the Herald.
The monument will list the names of each victim, from dissidents to Bay of Pigs fighters to political prisoners. "This park is going to be a place where all generations will come to understand Cuban history," declared Martinez.
Posted by Val Prieto at April 20, 2005 10:55 AM
Comments
That sounds wonderful.
Posted by: Lizzie at April 20, 2005 02:02 PM
Good for them
Posted by: Felix Ricardo at April 20, 2005 05:01 PM
What memories that brings - That damn "Pecera" where you saw your sister or cousin with their best clothing not knowing where they were going to go once they landed in the USA. The tears were gut wrenching. I remeber my aunt waiting 3 days to hear from my little 6 years old cousin There was a second wave of Children that made it out of Cuba without a clue as to what their destiny would be those were "Los Chicos del Escorial" i was part of THAT group , a little older (10 ~ 14) but again we were put on a plane to Spain without knowing ANYTHING as to where we would sleep the following day.
I recall El Padre Camiņas a surly Franciscan monk waiting for us at Barajas and asking as we passed customs " Eres Cubano ? " and when you said "SI" he'd say "Bienvenido a la casa de Dios, now you are protected"
I can NOT tell you what THOSE words meant to us!.
I remember a famous American movie producer came to see us at El Escorial with the USA ambassador (actually the DAY I arrived, so the food that day was UNREAL so I figured MAN , this is gonna be heaven ! hehehhe, was *I* wrong! Franciscans are a VERY frugal order!) and was so moved with this that he promised the world would know about it through one of his movies.
There were scripts, castings, we were all interviwed etc but I do not know whatever happened to that project.
The producer was the fellow who produced "EL CID"
Samuel Bronston
Posted by: KillCastro at April 20, 2005 07:09 PM