MIAMI -- Roberto Clemente Park is the pride of Miami's Puerto Rican population. But the park in the Wynwood neighborhood has languished despite a voter-approved initiative to improve city parks.

"Without a doubt, Roberto Clemente Park has taken a back seat to many other projects within the city of Miami," said Raul Martinez, president of ASPIRA, a nonprofit devoted to the education and leadership development of Puerto Rican and other Latin youth.

Martinez has become the chief advocate for overhauling the park, a rundown oasis in a gritty neighborhood.

"The park has been in decay and disarray for more than three years now," said Martinez.

But seven years ago, Miami residents approved a $255 million bond issue to help rebuild Clemente and other city parks.

Little Haiti recently got its first park at a cost of $37 million. Bicentennial Park is slated to get a $68 million renovation that would transform it into a museum park.

Clemente Park, which serves mainly poor families, did get a new water-play area, but promises to replace the Dorothy Quintana Community Center have gone unfulfilled, much to the 99-year-old activist's displeasure.

"That park is falling apart," said Quintana.

There are no indoor toilets at the park -- only portable toilets. The community center is in such disrepair that it is going to be torn down.

Clemente Park wasn't on the back burner -- it wasn't even on the stove, as one community leader told Local 10's Michael Putney.

"If I know (Mayor) Manny Diaz and I know the commissioners, they don't care," said Quintana.

Next week on Roberto Clemente Day, city officials said they'd come to the park to announce that the community center will be demolished and replaced by a $1.8 million facility. The park is also expected to get a major facelift, too.