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This article presents some updated information regarding Wildflower Park progress. The tracker graphic included toward the end of this article has been updated accordingly. Past update articles are included for reference in Attachment 1. Following is a brief update discussion on each of the open phases.
Passive Park
Residents have been asking for Wildflower Park to be opened as a passive park while the long term EDSA waterfront study is proceeding. It appears that the City may be opening the park for residential use in September, 2017. The park design for this opening looks like it will be similar to the design when the park was opened for the Boca Raton Boat Parade on the evening of December 17, 2016. This means that there will still be a massive amount of asphalt for parking cars, but a relatively small amount of natural area for recreation by residents. It should be the opposite.
Land Use Change
The City Council approved ordinances changing the Wildflower parcel comprehensive plan map designation and zoning from Commercial to Public Land and Recreation respectively at the June 13, 2017 regular meeting. Prior to this, the P&Z board voted to recommend approval of the ordinances. Approvals were by unanimous votes.
Waterfront Study
The City’s consultant on the waterfront study, EDSA, held a second public outreach on July 12, 2017. At this meeting they presented two design options for Wildflower Park as depicted in the following graphics.
The City is requesting your input on these design options as well as any other recreation-oriented ideas for the park. Residents should visit Deerfield’s Sullivan Park for an example of what’s possible. Sullivan Park is located on the Northwest corner of Hillsborough Blvd. and the Intracoastal Waterway. Feedback can be submitted to the City’s Coastal Management Division at Coastalmgmt@myboca.us. As shown in the following Wildflower Progress Tracker, EDSA is preparing their final conceptual master plan report for presentation in September, 2017 so your feedback should be provided to the City as soon as possible.
BocaWatch will continue to track and report on the status of Wildflower Park.
Attachment 1 – Prior Wildflower Park Progress Tracking Articles
6/20/2017 – /wildflower-park-tracking-report-progress-at-last/
4/24/2017 – /boca-raton-wildflower-park-progress-tracking-5/
4/17/2017 – /boca-raton-wildflower-park-progress-tracking-4/
3/13/2017 – /boca-raton-wildflower-park-progress-tracking-3/
3/6/2017 – /boca-raton-wildflower-park-progress-tracking-2/
2/6/2017 – /boca-raton-wildflower-park-progress-tracking/
1/12/2017 – https://bocawatch.org/wildflower-park-progress-tracking-article/
12/5/2016 – https://bocawatch.org/wildflower-site-tracking-chart/
The Tracker Chart is very helpful in visualizing a basic project schedule but is somewhat misleading to the both the trained and untrained eye. It shows no relationship between tasks. In other words, we see all task begin at the same time in this Gantt chart with no relationship to any other task, when in fact, tasks generally have a start/finish relationship. One task can not start until the preceding dependent task is finished. It might seem trivial now but some of your loyal readers could be taking a position on the flawed schedule posted.
Option one is the better of both plans,more parking the better.If you cannot park on site,where are you going to park??Not the bridge,not Palmetto,not the side streets.The more people to attend an event,the happier the people will be.Events are not for children to play in a playground,they can play at home in their back yards. Thats my 2 cents.
Tony. The chart speaks quite clearly. Unlike a PERT chart this illustrates progress points on each item from a common point of origin. Nothing misleading there.
The small empty lot that abuts the Wildflower property to the east (on NE 5th and E Palmetto P Rd) should be acquired by the city. It has no real commercial or residential value.
Acquisition would make that entire corner safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicular traffic. It’s a very busy and dangerous corner. Another benefit would be to allow for more green space and parking – perhaps a small (not for profit?) kayak, paddle board, canoe rental hut.
The city should move forward to acquire this property in my humble opinion.
Has anyone considered an attractive parking garage at 5tth Ave. and Palmetto on the lot where the steak house was located and connected to the Wildflower property? If designed properly, the restaurants close by could valet park there be a source of revenue for the park. This would have to be a parking lot hidden in vegetation, trees and shrubbery so it does not look like a concrete garage.
A restaurant could be located at the top of that parking lot satisfying those who wish a restaurant on that site. The view on top of the garage would be fantastic from Red Reef Park, up the intracoastal to The Boca Hotel, Lake Boca and possibly the ocean.
This solves the lack of parking spaces problem not only at the planned Wildflower park site and on Palmetto Parkway, but also allows the park to have much more land area to work with for a much larger park rather than using a lot of that precious land for car parking spaces.
Even without the restaurant it sure would solve the lack of parking spaces in that area. Thanks.