I was happy to read Fabiola Santiago’s Dec. 4 article, It’s time for the Basel crowd to show love, about the new Museum Park, formerly known as Bicentennial Park.

I’m writing as the head of a new residents’ association, Museum Park District Association, which was founded this past month for the specific purpose of promoting adequate funding and local design input for Museum Park. We are composed of representatives from the Condo Association Boards and residents of the Marquis, Ten Museum Park, 900 Biscayne and Marina Blue.

We have already reached out to the directors of the Miami Science Museum and Miami Art Museum, City Staff, the Downtown Development Authority and soon the district commissioners and Bayfront Park Management Trust.

We’re amazed at the underfunding of this vital city amenity as well as the lack of consultation with the local residents.

More than one city official that I’ve spoken with justified their decisions by referring to their efforts to consult the local community in 2008-2009.

This isn’t a satisfactory explanation since most of the condominium residences in the neighborhood at the time were not yet occupied and, as, Santiago mentioned, the park being built today is a shadow of the design which came out of that planning process.

The priorities of the new Museum Park District Association are:

•  Integration of Art-in-the-Park and Science-in-the-Park programming.

•  Re-designing the park to include recreation facilities such as soccer, volleyball and children’s play areas.

•  Safety and security.

•  Funding to realize a more creative vision.

Given its strategic location, Museum Park should be the crown jewel of Miami’s public parks providing waterfront access with lots to do and inspiration for all of Miami’s residents and visitors.

David Polinsky, director, Museum Park District Association