South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
36 acres, 3 athletic fields, 13 exercise stations
Palm Beach County opens park west of Boynton
Palm Beach County officials and community members recently gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the $11 million phase I of Canyon District Park west of Boynton Beach.
The 36-acre park features three lighted multipurpose athletic fields, a one-mile paved fitness trail with 13 exercise stations, two group picnic shelters, a restroom and concession building, maintenance facility and parking spaces for 251 vehicles.
Eric Call, who had served as the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Director until retiring at the end of September, said the idea of building the park south of Boynton Beach Boulevard and west of Acme Dairy Road was initiated around 2002 when residential construction began to take off along the Lyons Road corridor.
Former County Commissioner Burt Aaronson and former County Parks and Recreation Director Dennis Eshleman had looked for land acquisition possibilities for the fast-growing area. The master planning started 10 years ago and funding appropriated through impact fees and the sales tax allowed design and permitting to begin about three years ago.
Parks Design and Development Director Bob Hamilton was joined by Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo as well as Call to move the project forward in recent years. Cirillo has recently been appointed Palm Beach County parks and recreation director.
“It’s very rewarding because the community has been waiting a long time for this District Park,” Call said. “The location is perfectly situated near the amphitheater, schools, soon-to-be library and retail area.”
The grand opening featured food trucks, a rock climbing wall and bounce houses as several families with children attended.
“We received positive feedback and they’re very excited about the sports fields, walking and fitness trails,” Call said.
The plans for the second phase of the project will likely begin during the spring of 2023 and be completed by 2024. The second phase is expected to include softball and baseball fields, a second restroom and concession building, destination playground, picnic pavilion and additional parking spaces.
Canyon District Park, 8788 Sen. Joe Abruzzo Ave., is operated by the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department. The lighted and permitted athletic fields are open until
10 p.m.
Palm Beach County’s Canyon Branch Library also had its groundbreaking ceremony before the park opening. The library, which is expected to open in 2024, will be at Canyon Town Center and in proximity to the new park.
Palm Beach County officials addressed the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony, which included Mayor Robert S. Weinroth, Vice Mayor Gregg K. Weiss, County Commissioners Maria Sachs and Mack Bernard, Administrator Verdenia C. Baker, Library System Advisory Board Chairman Sam Manuele, Friends of the Palm Beach County Library System President Marc Bressman and Palm Beach County Library System Director Doug Crane. The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners also include Maria G. Marino, Dave Kerner and Melissa McKinlay.
Crane said the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations had been advocating for a new library to serve residents. The West Boynton Branch Library on Jog Road was one of the county’s smaller locations without any room to grow on the property.
“West Boynton has been growing fast,” Crane said. “In order to meet the demands with additional houses and communities in that region, we have been considering a library in that spot for over a decade.”
The Canyon Branch Library will be a 33,000-square-foot facility and will accommodate a large meeting room space with 300 seats, which can be divided into two smaller spaces. The library will also hold a digital media lab, conference and study rooms, automated checkout and return stations, flexible floor space, collection of books and materials, children, teen and adult activities, author discussions and outside speakers. The library will also have an outdoor green plaza space as well art installed at the front of the building.
The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating 50 years of providing service to residents and visitors to Palm Beach County. It provides organized recreational programs and services for people of all ages and abilities.
Visit pbcparks.com.