Deerfield Beach Island

Community east of the Intracoastal Waterway gives itself a new name

Leaders decide to rename eastern part of their city.

DEERFIELD BEACH — First the city was just Deerfield, then it became Deerfield Beach.

Now, the city’s land east of the Intracoastal Waterway bears a new 7-foot-tall sign with an even longer name: Deerfield Beach Island.

The region between Boca Raton and Hillsboro Beach isn’t really an island. Still, residents are thrilled.

It was the result of a five-year effort from singer-songwriter Buddy Sparrow. He thought the community needed the new name, not only to draw more tourists, but to cultivate a point of pride among its inhabitants. At first, he hit on “Deerfield Cay,” then ultimately decided on the “island” moniker, even if it will have no affect on mailing addresses.

Of the pride, resident Vicki Karlin said, “We have the most quaint beach.”

The sign, which cost the city’s redevelopment agency $4,725, recently went up at the end on the southeast corner where the Hillsboro Boulevard bridge meets the community.

Sparrow lives in West Boca, but spends a lot of time on Deerfield’s east side, working on behalf of Surfers for Autism, a group of volunteers dedicated to introducing the sport to children with special needs. Now that the community is being called Deerfield Beach Island, some have referred to it as “DBI.”

Deerfield Beach Commissioner Joe Miller said he felt the time for a name change had come. “Giving it a name gives it recognition as a special place,” he said.

CARLINE JEAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Singer-songwriter Buddy Sparrow thought the Deerfield Beach community needed a new name, not only to draw more tourists, but to cultivate a point of pride among its inhabitants.