Boca Raton’s Downtown Softball Fields Relocation Plan Gets Approval
A proposal to relocate Boca Raton’s downtown softball fields to a site in Sugar Sand Park has taken a significant step forward, with the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District approving an interlocal agreement with the city. The plan, which is part of the city’s proposed Downtown Government Complex development, aims to move three or four softball fields from their current location to a new site in Sugar Sand Park, off Military Trail.
According to the Boca Raton Tribune, the agreement, which was approved by commissioners at the June 16 Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District meeting, paves the way for the city to proceed with designing and permitting the new softball complex. The project is expected to include a range of facilities, such as fencing, hitting stations and batting cages, dugout spaces with benches and shade structures, bleachers and stands for spectators, a concession facility with press boxes, roadways and walking paths, public restrooms, and new parking.
“The city will design and build, at its own cost and expense, a modernized softball complex on the portion of Tract A of Sugar Sand Park,” states the Boca Raton Tribune. The complex will be designed and constructed to accommodate the expected users, with all revenues generated by the complex, including ballfield reservation fees and concessions, to be retained by the district.
The new site, which is bordered by Camino Real and the CSX tracks that intersect 18th Street, is currently home to picnic tables. Briann Harms, executive director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District, told commissioners that the site has the potential to be transformed into a state-of-the-art softball complex. “There’s just picnic tables there now,” she said.
As reported by the Boca Raton Tribune, the interlocal agreement includes a number of key provisions, including the requirement for the city to present a detailed site plan with architectural renderings and specifications to the district for approval prior to commencing construction. The site plan will need to include details on acreage used, number of fields, number and types of structures, planned drainage and irrigation, and placement and volume of parking.
The district has also agreed to relocate the city’s Tim Huxhold Skate Park to a site in their planned North Park in Boca Teeca. The relocation of the skate park is part of a broader effort to upgrade and expand recreational facilities in the area. The city council is expected to consider the proposal at their July 15 meeting, with a final decision on the project expected to be made shortly after.
The proposed relocation of the softball fields has been met with enthusiasm from local residents, who are eager to see the development of new recreational facilities in the area. According to the Boca Raton Tribune, the project is expected to bring a range of benefits to the community, including improved recreational facilities, increased economic activity, and enhanced quality of life for residents. With the approval of the interlocal agreement, the project is now one step closer to becoming a reality.
Commissioners at the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District meeting approved the agreement, and as stated in the Boca Raton Tribune, “Once approved by both parties, the city will proceed with design and permitting and bring forward a finalized site plan and construction timeline for board review.”
The city’s proposed Downtown Government Complex plan will see three or four softball fields moved from their current downtown location. The new site will include, “fencing, hitting stations and batting cages, dugout spaces with benches and shade structures, bleachers/stands for viewing softball games, a facility for drink/snack concessions with press boxes built in a similar style to the existing concession facilities, roadways and walking paths, public restroom facilities and new parking sufficient to accommodate the expected users,” reported the Boca Raton Tribune.
As noted in the Boca Raton Tribune, the existing parking at Sugar Sand Park shall not be included in the parking calculations for the complex and that closure of the park for construction will be avoided except when absolutely necessary, as determined by the city.
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