Boca Raton outlines conceptual recreation master plan, proposes relocations and new facilities

Greg Stevens, the city’s recreation services director, and Brianne Harms, executive director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, on Monday briefed the Boca Raton City Council on a 98‑day conceptual recreation master‑planning process that could move softball fields, add lighted sand volleyball, expand pool capacity and identify locations for a skate park, pump track and a possible field house.

The presentation, led by Keith & Associates under a contract initiated March 13, lays out five tasks: due diligence, staff planning sessions, three conceptual plan options per site, public presentation and as‑needed revisions. Stevens told the council the consultant will produce “3 up to 3 conceptual plans for each site, preliminary budget estimates, preliminary parking and traffic analysis, and then recommendation and next steps.”

Why it matters: the recreation work is tied to planned downtown campus changes and to long‑standing needs for additional rectangular fields and indoor court space. The city and district said the conceptual effort is intended to free space at downtown sites by relocating amenities and to provide options before a formal master plan is adopted.

Stevens and Harms described sites under study: Meadows Park, Sugar Sand Park (Tract A identified as an 11‑acre developable area for relocated softball fields), University Woodlands Park (often called Woodlands Park), Dehornley Park, North Park and Sugar Sand’s northern section. The teams are evaluating where to relocate downtown amenities and whether to expand or replace the Meadows Park pool. “If we keep the current pool... it needs extensive… upgrading and work,” Stevens said, adding the existing facility cannot be made deeper or larger.

Council members asked detailed questions about communication with advisory boards and timelines. Councilmember [Miss] Nicholas pressed why the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board is brought in later in the process; Stevens said staff aimed to develop initial conceptual options then solicit board and public input after those options are ready. Stevens and Harms said public presentations will be scheduled for mid–late July to the council, the Beach & Park District Board of Commissioners and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Staff presented a narrower list of recommended locational ideas the consultant is to evaluate: 3–4 softball fields relocated to Sugar Sand Park Tract A; skate park and pump track at North Park; evaluation of possible tennis conversions at Patch Reef; candidate sites for lighted sand volleyball at Meadows or North Park; and North Park as the preferred site for a competitive‑sized pool and a future field house. Stevens said staff will include preliminary parking and traffic analysis with each concept.

Board and public members urged clearer outreach and education about likely disruptions and timelines, particularly for facilities used by schools and community programs. Councilmember Trucker noted Meadows Pool is heavily used by nearby students and advocated for early public education about timing and alternatives if the pool is moved or rebuilt. Stevens said the conceptual stage is intended to create options that then will be shown to the public and advisory boards.

Next steps: due diligence and staff input meetings are underway, with conceptual plans and preliminary budgets to follow. Staff said they will present public materials in July and continue refining concepts based on board and public feedback.