Zika worries temporarily close Miami Beach garden - and voting precinct
Amid concerns about local transmission of Zika virus in the heart of South Beach, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden is closing for the next few days to inspect for mosquitoes.
The closure will affect voters in Tuesday’s primary because the botanical garden is a precinct — No. 030. On Tuesday, those voters will be sent to the first-floor conference room of City Hall, a block south, at 1700 Convention Center Drive. The voting hours will remain the same, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a jewel of our community and while we work to preserve the luscious flora and fauna we also need to work to protect the visitors that enjoy the garden,” read a statement released Monday morning by the city government. “Therefore, in abundance of caution, and in order to give the city and the county an opportunity to properly inspect and treat for mosquitoes, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden will be closed for the next 2-3 days.”
The garden is a public/private partnership owned by the city and operated by nonprofit Miami Beach Garden Conservancy. It’s located at 2000 Convention Center Drive, across from the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Joey Flechas: 305-376-3602, @joeflech
This story was originally published August 29, 2016 at 12:25 PM with the headline "Zika worries temporarily close Miami Beach garden - and voting precinct."