New Skate Park OK ‘But Not in My Backyard’

By Marci Shatzman

Several Boca Teeca residents lined up at Monday’s Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District meeting to ask commissioners not to relocate the city’s Tim Huxhold Skate Park next to their condos in the new 74.72-acre North Park on that property.

Residents cited noise, trash, loss of property values and safety concerns for mostly teenage users among their objections. “It’s better suited to the vacant land near four schools” and Countess de Hoernle Park on Spanish River Boulevard, they said. Longtime North Park activist Harold Chaffee agreed. “That’s not really a place for a skate park,” so close to residential, said Chaffee, president of Keep Golf in Boca.

Some residents said a North Park redesign to accommodate a skate park was never properly noticed, and that Boca Teeca residents were never informed as required. But “this board hasn’t approved a site plan” and “we’ve barely gotten started working with the city on these amenities,” said Briann Harms, the district’s executive director. She urged residents to follow North Park plans at https://northparkplan.com/

“The City has agreed to contribute approximately two-thirds of the $3.6 million estimated cost for the skatepark portion of the project, according to the district. “This funding will be included in the City’s upcoming budget for the Downtown Campus improvements. The City has confirmed that the skatepark and pump track addition can be approved administratively, avoiding a lengthy site plan process. City staff will coordinate with our design consultant to ensure a complete submission. I am working with legal counsel to prepare an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) to formalize the City’s financial commitment to the skatepark project,” according to the district’s statement.

Commissioners unanimously agreed to accept Plant-a-Park’s grant for $32,600 to support the skatepark planning process. The grant provides a concept design development package at no cost to the District and includes: a conceptual site design; 3D Lumion flythrough and renderings; community input meetings and an online survey results and report, according to the district. “Accepting this grant will not obligate the District to construct the skatepark,” the district’s notes make it clear.

In other district moves, four of the five commissioners voted down Commissioner Craig Ehrnst’s request to make the center court fencing at the Patch Reef Pickleball Complex removable to allow for more flexible use of the facility at a cost of $10,150. They couldn’t be persuaded by Ehrst’s proposal to do this now for future costs and recreational needs. “I know things change. But the sport of pickleball will outdistance tennis, and the damage to a beautiful facility is concerning,” said Commissioner Susan Vogelgesang. “This is lit and covered, and you can still do a yoga class there,” added commission chair Erin Wright.