North Park East Side Development Underway

Development of North Park's east side is officially underway.

Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Commissioners, representatives from Butters Construction & Development and local leaders ceremoniously launched development with a groundbreaking on a Thursday morning in early September.

“It means the end of the beginning, as we now have started putting our plans in place here with development,” District Chair Bob Rollins said. “It's nice to see how far we've come with the site cleanup and the next phase is actually construction, so I'm looking forward to that.”

Rollins addressed the gathering prior to all five Commissioners digging their shovels into the dirt.

A couple of months ago District Commissioners selected Butters Construction & Development to develop the 70 acres on the east side of North Park. That part of the project will include more than five miles of walking and riding trails, a dog park and a playground. Some trails will feature exercise equipment. 

When complete, more than 1,000 native trees will be added to the area east of NW 2nd Ave. Crews have already started removing invasive trees and plants from the area, as required by code.

“It's a transformative park for Boca Raton,” Commissioner Craig Ehrnst said. “I love that we have such a beautiful park coming here.”

The ceremony occurred at the corner of NW 2nd Ave. and Jeffrey St., in the southeast parking lot near Boca Paddle – an indoor/outdoor pickleball and padel club expected to open in November. Following the ceremony, guests received a tour of Boca Paddle.

Boca Paddle will be the second North Park feature to open. Last year the District opened a Traffic Garden designed to be a fun way to teach young bicyclists and scooter riders safety.

North Park is being created on the former Ocean Breeze golf course within the Boca Teeca section of Boca Raton.

The entire project will comply with Sustainable SITES Initiative standards for environmental friendliness.

Boca Raton Mayor Andy Thompson, city manager Mark Sohaney, Palm Beach County Vice Mayor Marci Woodward, Gloria Branch of the Palm Beach County School Board, and Boca Raton City Council members Yvette Drucker and Stacey Sipple also attended the ceremony.