Jose Diaz is the new Parks Manager for the Pinecrest Parks and Recreation Department. He is in charge of running all of Pinecrest’s parks and supervising a staff of 10 people.

Jose Diaz

The 32-year-old Diaz comes to Pinecrest from the City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department, where he worked for 11 years. He also has been teaching at Temple Beth Am Day School for the past 11 years.

Diaz came to Miami with his parents from Cienfuegos, Cuba, in 1967, when he was just 5 months old.

"I’m completely American," said Diaz with a smile. "I didn’t know anything about Cuba to begin with, so I don’t remember anything about it. I still have relatives there, but I’ve never met them."

Diaz is married and he and wife, Jacquelin, 31, have two daughters, Stephanie, 12, and Sofia, 21 months. As a hobby, he collects scale models of exotic cars and, after four years, has more than 60 miniature vehicles.

The personable Diaz attended Cornell University in Utica, NY, for two semesters, before returning here to enroll in Miami-Dade Community College. He currently attends Florida International University and hopes to receive a degree in physical education and teaching.

"I very much enjoy working with children," he said. "I think it keeps me young. Otherwise, I would have probably been an old man already."

Diaz agrees that his new job is a year-round task.

"When most people are taking vacations, that’s our busiest time," he said. "When the children are out of school — summer, spring break, winter break — that’s when we’re really the busiest. And, we’re open every day of the year, from 8 in the morning to 10 o’clock at night."

Diaz said that getting started in his new position initially is his most important undertaking.

"I plan on continuing as best as possible with the program that was already set forth by Metro Dade, as well as coming up with new programs," he said. "Right here at Coral Pine Park we’re having a summer camp run by the YMCA. At Suniland, we’re year-round with Khoury, Pop Warner and adult softball leagues. And we have the tennis program here at Coral Pine. So, we’re really busy.

"In the future, we’re planning on expanding. We’re going to see how the road leads us and where it leads us."