School board approves conceptual Founders Park design and advances Rex Weech upgrades; mediation authorized for Tommy Roberts project

The Monroe County School Board voted June 18 to approve a conceptual design for Founders Park in Islamorada and to advance final design and contractor steps for Rex Weech Field improvements at Coral Shores High School. The meeting included public comment both for and against the Founders Park concept and questions from board members about ownership, budget and community review.

Design and public comment

Architects and sports-planning consultants presented a conceptual site plan for Founders Park that would shift the backstop, add two elevated ADA-accessible grandstands, a two-story press box and a covered concession/press area behind home plate, two dugouts with storage, and a roughly 1,700-square-foot multiuse building with player and coach lockers and restrooms. Tyler Kirsch of MSA Sports described a 22-foot clearance behind home plate to allow the concession/press building to sit behind the backstop without removing existing trees. The design shows a full synthetic-turf playing surface and covered grandstands; the consultants said the backstop change "will significantly improve the foul-ball issue" that at present sends balls toward the highway.

Public commenters were split. Supporters including Tony…