Miami Lakes honors domino pioneer Guido Inguanzo Sr.

Guido Inguanzo Sr., loved to play Dominoes.
In fact, before Royal Oaks Park was converted to a full-pledged recreation facility, Inguanzo created a Dominoes Club and invited the community to play while their kids had fun in the park.
“He loved Royal Oaks Park and spent a lot of time walking at the park,” Guido Inguanzo Jr., told Miami Lakes council members during their March 12 regular meeting. “When the grandkids came along, he took them to the park, too.”
Councilmembers approved Mayor Manny Cid’s proposal to honor Guido Inguanzo Sr. by designating a courtyard at Royal Oaks Park as “Guido’s Domino Plaza.”
Inguanzo Sr. died in December at the age of 86.
Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez and Councilmember Luis Collazo co-sponsored the proposal.
The courtyard will feature a Dominoes-like mural and other minor improvements that would reflect Inguanzo’s legacy in the Miami Lakes community.
Miami Lakes will also honor Inguanzo with an annual Dominoes tournament, the inaugural one is scheduled for 3 p.m., Saturday, October 12, 2019
The town has received about $3,000 in donations for the memorial.
“Let’s make this one the best one yet,” said Inguanzo Jr., who’s the village clerk for Pinecrest.
Ramiro Inguanzo, who recently served as chairman of the Miami Lakes’ town manager selection committee, said his father literally started a Domino effect as many residents came to the park.
“He played there for nearly 10 years and gathered other people to play at the park,” said Ramiro Inguanzo, an assistant village manager for Bay Harbor. “That’s my dad’s legacy and we hope to continue his legacy.”
Born in Cuba, Inguanzo was a pioneer and leader in the telecommunications field in his homeland. In 1962, he fled Cuba and moved to the U.S. where he became a naturalized US. citizen in 1977. Inguanzo worked for TRT Telecommunications from the mid-1960s until the late 1980s.
He then had a second career as a public servant working for the City of Hialeah where he was a civilian employee of the police and fire departments. He retired from Hialeah in 2000.
Inguanzo was married to his wife, Pilar, for over 53 years.
Cid said Inguanzo was a kind man willingly to volunteer to help Miami Lakes. “He was a friend to us all and loved our town dearly,” Cid said.
Rodriguez said Inguanzo was his Boy Scouts leader who later became his mentor.
“When this item came up, I said this is an amazing tribute to Mr. Inguanzo,” Rodriguez said.