Ruth Bryan Owen Waterway Park

Ruth Bryan Owen Waterway Park is a smaller park that’s named for a Florida woman who was active in politics, she became the first woman from the south elected to congress in 1929, she helped create the Everglades National Park, taught and was on the board of regents at UM, and was the mother of presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan.
This park isn’t huge and there can be a bit of traffic noise since it sits at the intersection of Bird Road, Granada Blvd. and University Dr., but it’s right along a canal, there are a few concrete benches along the paved walkways for people to sit on and rest, there’s a long wooden deck for people to walk along at the waters’ edge, and there are also a few picnic benches as well as a fireplace which appears to no longer be in service. While there are no open spaces in this park large enough to play sports, there are lots of well kept grassy areas large enough for children to run, and shade provided by palm and banyan trees. Since this park doesn’t seem busy (you might only see an occasional family sitting at the picnic benches to eat), this isn’t a bad place to have a seat in the shade and read a book, study, bring a blanket and have a picnic lunch with that special someone, or just get away from the grind of the city and chill.