Coconut Grove's Peacock Park has been a mess for 25 years. That's when the city of Miami, citing a shortage of funds, gave up on it. Park programs ended and the community center (the Glass House) was turned into office space.

Now a similar shortage of funding is giving new hope for a revitalized Peacock Park.

Last month Miami Mayor Manny Diaz announced that he will close some of the city's NET offices, including the one in the park. The city has also asked the other Glass House occupant, the Grove's Chamber of Commerce, to move to another location.

Nothing is for sure yet, according to David Karsh, a spokesman for Commissioner Marc Sarnoff.

But change does seem to be coming. And the Glass House can be put to better use.

Perched on a slight hill, it once had a commanding view of Biscayne Bay.

No longer. In the early '80s the city got the grand idea to plant trees along the shoreline in Peacock, Meyers and Kennedy parks. Over the years they have grown to cut off the public's view of the bay.

Former Grove city planner Jack Luft recently said, ``It was the stupidest thing the city ever did.''

For years we watched Peacock Park lose its charm, water view and popularity.

On sunny days I would count heads and ask, ``Why are there only six people here?''

There would often be more homeless people than not (which is one of the answers).

Six years ago I met someone who was asking the same questions, North Grove resident David Villano.

We quickly formed The Friends of Peacock Park with a mission to revitalize Coconut Grove's central gathering spot.

Our group's ideas have included restoring the bay view, making the park safer and giving the Glass House new life.

Five years ago Grove architect Thorn Grafton led a two-day charette to consider new possibilities for the Peacock. I'm sure some of you were there.

We took our ideas to City Hall where they were promptly ignored.

The Grove's commissioner at the time, Johnny Winton, had his own ideas. One of them was to turn a third of the park into an expensive roller hockey facility.

Fortunately, the sport died before it could be built.

Now we have a chance to do it right, to begin turning Peacock Park into the shining jewel that it could be.

What would you like to see? What would make you want to visit the Grove's central park regularly?

Concerts? Classes?

A playground for adults?

Two dozen of us, including the Grove's city commissioner Marc Sarnoff, met there two weeks ago to discuss it.

We all agreed that it starts with the Glass House. One of the proposed ideas is to turn the chamber office into a small café. With all the patio space and the possible bay view, it would be perfect for that.

The western end (now the NET office) could be a community center, a place for meetings, classes and recreational activity. These are two of many possibilities.

Peacock Park is yours. Get involved and be a part of its future.

Call Sarnoff's office at 305-250-5353 or e-mail him at msarnoff@miamigov.com with your ideas.

``We would love to hear from people,'' said Karsh, Sarnoff's communications director.

GOING TO THE DOGS

Last month, my wife and I took our pooch to the world's most beautiful dog park, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens in Coral Gables.

Park president Bruce Greer and his daughter Rachel dreamed up ``Dog Day'' when she asked, ``Dad, why can't we take our dog anywhere?''

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