West Palm Beach breaks ground on long-awaited Curry Park transformation

West Palm Beach officials and residents broke ground Friday on a long-awaited transformation of Curry Park, a 13-acre waterfront public park in the city’s North End. City leaders and project partners said the redesign will add a play area with a water element, pickleball courts and flexible waterfront space, and will include a placemaking plan intended to generate revenue to sustain the park.

Leah Rockwell, director of parks and recreation for the City of West Palm Beach, opened the ceremony and thanked residents and city staff who participated in the design process. Rockwell said Curry Park is one of the city’s parks that residents have worked on for years and called the site “a jewel” on the north end of the city.

District 1 Commissioner Kathleen Ward, who said she had advocated for the project since moving to the neighborhood, described the park as “a world class park in the North End for the entire city to enjoy,” and emphasized the role parks play in community building and local development.

Mayor James, who presided over the ceremony, said the project is intended to be more than physical improvements: “We’re not just building a park, ladies and gentlemen. We are building memories, relationships, and opportunities.” He acknowledged the Community Redevelopment Agency’s role and budget staff, and thanked many city departments, consultants and contractors involved in the project.

City officials named Biederman Redevelopment Ventures as the firm engaged to develop a placemaking plan aimed at generating revenue to sustain park priorities, with an initial focus on safety and security followed by programmed activities for children, adults and seniors. City staff and partners mentioned Chen Moore as the engineering consultant and West Construction as the principal contractor. City Administrator Faye Johnson and Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Chris Ruge were among those recognized at the ceremony. The Curry family — Jane Newell, identified as the granddaughter of George Graham Curry, and Shelley Newell — were acknowledged for the family’s role in the park’s original donation.

Officials and speakers referred broadly to grants and the city budget as sources that have helped advance the project but did not provide funding breakdowns at the ceremony. The timeline for construction start and completion, specific grant amounts, and further implementation milestones were not specified during the event.

The ceremony concluded with a symbolic shovel ceremony, after which officials and the crowd marked the ceremonial start of construction. City staff said the placemaking and programming work will follow design and contracting steps already in motion, and that safety and activation are priorities as the project moves into implementation.