Little Havana park will be Miami’s first for children on autism spectrum
%20(2).png "A rendering of Superhero Park, the first park in the city of Miami that will be aimed at children on the autism spectrum. The park, 235 NW 26th Ave. in Little Havana, will be fully ADA-compliant when it opens by year’s end, city officials said.")
Miami officials have unveiled plans for Superhero Park in Little Havana, which they say would be the city’s first fully ADA-compliant, autism-focused sensory park for children with disabilities and their families.
Planned for 235 NW 26th Ave., the 14,200-square-foot park, about the size of three basketball courts, would include adaptive play equipment, wheelchair-friendly paths, sensory zones, calming areas, inclusive play structures, and a layout designed to promote safe navigation and clear sightlines for caregivers.
“This is an exciting project, but true accessibility means looking beyond the equipment itself,” said Deborah Dietz, executive director of Disability Independence Group, Inc. “When Coral Gables created a similar park, we recommended more accessible parking spaces and accessible paths connecting each play area. Those are important issues to consider here, too.”
City officials described the park as a first-of-its-kind project for Miami.
“That is the first park in our city designed specifically for children with physical disabilities and autism,” Miami District 4 Commissioner Ralph Rosado said.
Miami-Dade County already has a similar park. In 2019, the county opened the Superhero Garden Autism Playground at Tamiami Park, 11201 SW 24th St., the first of its kind for the Miami-Dade Parks system. The 4,220-square-foot playground includes sensory features, adaptive equipment, an ADA-accessible walkway, fencing and shaded garden elements.
Rosado said the Little Havana project is personal to him and his family and is being developed in honor of his niece, Yvette, who spent most of her life in a wheelchair.
He said the park would be located a few blocks from Kensington Park Elementary, 711 NW 30th Ave., one of the largest autism-serving schools in Miami-Dade County, with an average of 265 students on the autism spectrum.
The park is part of a broader City of Miami accessibility push. Rosado has also announced plans for an Accessibility Advisory Board made up of residents with disabilities, family members, advocates, accessibility professionals and city officials.
Construction is expected to begin in late summer 2026, with the park projected to open by year’s end.
Freelance writer Theo Karantsalis serves on the Miami Springs Disability Advisory Board and the Miami-Dade County Commission on Disability Issues. Neither board was involved in this story.