Commentary

Brickell Backyard, the Underline, Celebrates the First Birthday.

By Meg Daly

Do you remember your first birthday? I don’t.

But I will never forget The Underline’s first birthday. On Saturday February 26th, The Underline’s Brickell Backyard turns one year old.

That’s right, our baby is turning one year old. Who would have thought that when we opened Brickell Backyard, so many wonderful things could happen in just 365 days?

• Over one million visitors from throughout our community have walked, biked and transited through The Underline
• More than 50 free community-based programs offered
• 18 businesses launched
• 3 public art installations enjoyed
• Thousands of butterflies born
• 30,000 native plants and trees are thriving
• 20,000 doggie bags used

The Underline. Photo y Marcia Montero, courtesy of the Underline.

I remember a lot of other firsts for The Underline

• First person to believe in the idea (my dad)
• First pro bono office (University of Miami School of Architecture)
• First groundbreaking event (standing room only in the River Room)
• First ballet on the Brickell Backyard Sound Stage (Miami City Ballet)
• First marching band performance (Booker T. Washington)
• First poetry recitation (Calvin Early)
• First construction funding commitment (City of Miami)
• First logo and brand creation (Hamish Smyth)
• First crosswalk improvements at SW 7th, 8th and 13th streets (DTPW and FDOT)
• First community MPath bike rides (anyone who wanted to come)
• First meeting with now Miami Dade County Chairman Pepi Diaz (who responded, how can I help?)
• First sponsorship (Baptist Health)
• First pro bono legal counsel (Hogan Lovells)

And there are so many more.

Do you have any firsts on The Underline? If so, we’d love to hear by emailing meg.daly@theunderline.org.

Thank you for taking our first steps with us, holding our hands and becoming stewards of Miami’s newest, most engaging open space.

Please help us celebrate our first birthday by making a donation of $50 at theunderline.org/donate today through Feb. 27th. We’ll send you an Underline tote bag chock full of goodies from our supporters. And, come to our Family Day event this Saturday from 2–4 PM to sign our life-size birthday card and share a slice of cake.

Meg Daly, Friends of The Underline Founder.

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