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    Tyson T. Jones

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    Hon. Tyson T. Jones was born (Jan. 12, 1940) and raised in the Shenandoah Valley of Berryville, Virginia, as the middle child in a family of seven children. He was married happily to Rosa B. Jones for 55 years; he has five children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Prior to moving to Broward County in 1973, Tyson and Rosa lived in Washington, D.C. for seven years.

    Tyson received his B.S. degree in Urban Technology from the University of District of Columbia in 1973, and his Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Miami in 1975.

    He served as a Lauderhill City Commissioner from 1993 to 2004; one of the highlights of his tenure was helping secure the location – and facilitate the groundbreaking – of the current Lauderhill City Hall on Oakland Park Boulevard.

    After working for two years for the Broward County Planning Council as a Transportation planner, Tyson transferred to the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division, where he was employed as an associate planner. His 33 years of comprehensive park planning experience involved land acquisition, site selection, lease agreements, appraisal reviews, consultant negotiation, design and construction monitoring, grant writing, land use planning, and community relations.

    However, his primary job was obtaining grants to build many of the community centers and other amenities throughout the local and regional park system. Tyson acted as an advocate planner to the local community for developing plans to increase recreational opportunities in the unincorporated areas of the County. Many of the projects that he was instrumental in assisting development included: Delevoe, Franklin, Osswald, West Ken Lark, St. George, Carver Ranches, McTyre, Pompano Beach Highlands East and West, and Roosevelt Gardens. He also secured FRDAP and LWCF grants for Quiet Waters, Tree Tops and Tradewinds Parks. Tyson was also part of the team that acquired a $5.2 million grant for Florida Communities Trust for the acquisition and development of Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill. He was responsible for bringing in grants over the years estimated at $25 million.

    “My father was my hero, a great man,” said Jones’s son, Korey Jones. “And because of those qualities, I didn’t mind sharing him with the world.”

    Since coming to the Parks and Recreation Division, he had many Division “firsts” to his credit:

    He prepared the County’s first countywide bikeway plan.

    He assisted with implementing the first bike path along State Road 84 from University Drive to Markham Park.

    He was the first liaison to the Marine Advisory Committee under the State’s FBIP program.

    He prepared the first Recreational and Open Space Element for the Division.

    He was the first coordinator for the Community Development Block Grant program for 29 years.

    He prepared the first Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Plan that was State certified as an official document of the County Recovery Action Program.

    WeFlorida Financial Credit Union board of directors

    Tyson retired as an urban planner in 2007 from Broward County Planning Council / Parks & Recreation Division. He was a proud lifelong member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He also was an avid golfer and an advocate of Black youths learning the sport.

    Celebration of Life tribute:

    6-8 p.m. Sept. 2 (Friday)

    Lauderhill Performing Arts Center

    3800 N.W. 11th Place

    Lauderhill, FL 33311

    In lieu of flowers, friends and family may contribute to First Tee, to benefit the youth golf program in Lauderhill. Checks may be written to “Fore Life Inc.” and mailed to 4141 N.W. 16th St. Lauderhill, FL 33313.

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    Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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