Another addition to western Miramar’s sports facilities is on the way.
The Miramar City Commission approved a plan Tuesday to spend $712,000 for two soccer/football fields next to the Sunset Lakes Community Center, 2801 SW 186th Ave. Construction is expected to begin later this year and be finished in early spring.
The fields are part of the city’s plan to meet the rapid growth west of Interstate 75. The area has been the main reason Miramar’s population has doubled from 50,000 to more than 100,000 in the past seven years, city leaders say.
In addition to the work at Sunset Lakes, the city earlier took over construction of a 171-acre regional park project, which will have sports fields, volleyball and basketball courts and a swimming pool.
The Sunset Lakes center opened last year and the Miramar Optimist Club began fielding a west Miramar program in the South Florida Youth Football League.
The new soccer/football fields at Sunset Lakes will be used by the Police Athletic League soccer program, the Optimists’ football program and recreational pickup games.
The current westernmost fields, in Silver Shores Park are packed with football and soccer games, said Lowell Borges, Miramar’s community services director. The PAL soccer program, which starts in January, had 700 players last year.
If the fields are completed in time, the soccer program might be able to accept more participants, PAL Executive Director Darren Kiley said.
“We’re always looking forward to additional opportunities to get residents involved in our leagues,” Kiley said. “We’re appreciative that with the city’s growth, that the fields will help the kids in the community.”
The PAL is scheduled to start signing up participants this weekend.
Nick Sortal can be reached at or 954-385-7906.
