Residents and supporters spar over proposed Plant Drive ice rink as public comment fills council meeting

Dozens of residents and supporters spoke during the public-comment portion of the Palm Beach Gardens City Council meeting on Dec. 5 over a proposed two-rink ice facility on Plant Drive, with neighbors asking the council to reconsider the site and proponents urging the city to approve the project.

Opponents said the Plant Drive site sits within a residential neighborhood and that the project would remove the only public park in that part of Palm Beach Gardens. “The outdoor space available for the children and families in our community is being taken away,” resident Helen Brown said. She and others raised traffic and infrastructure concerns tied to tournament and event parking and said neighborhood streets are already damaged by heavy vehicles used for nearby construction.

Neighbor Eric Brown told the council the park site has limited access and that the project’s hours could interfere with school and commuter traffic. “With only one road, Holly, going underneath 95 ... I don’t understand where this traffic is gonna go,” he said, and he asked the council to consider other locations in the city.

Supporters said the rink would expand year-round recreation, create jobs and meet an unmet regional demand for ice facilities. Gavin Titherington, who said he moved from New York, told the council the project would give more children access to hockey and skating without long drives. “The Palm Beach North Athletic Federation is looking to put this beautiful new two-ice rink facility right in our backyard,” he said, and added the project would “create over a 100 jobs.”

Skating parents and coaches described routine long drives to existing rinks and said a new facility would provide training and social opportunities close to home. “We can ride bikes. We can walk. It’s so easy,” said Deanna Barris, a resident and parent who called the rink “a safe, close place for my kids.” Ryan Sittler, a longtime coach, said the facility could support youth development, mental health and community connection.

Representatives of the Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation, the project’s lead group, told council members at the podium that they have worked with city staff on traffic and safety concerns and plan to present a full site-plan application to the Planning & Zoning board. “Our design team has been working tirelessly in conjunction with city staff to ensure that this world-class facility will be one of the crown jewels in the city’s recreational amenities,” Jeff Campbell said.

Council members did not take a formal vote on the matter at the Dec. 5 meeting. Several speakers asked the foundation to hold public information sessions; a city councillor noted such sessions are organized by the applicant and suggested residents monitor the foundation’s outreach and the upcoming Planning & Zoning submittal for details.

The dispute at Plant Drive illustrates a common planning tension: neighbors who rely on small, local parks for everyday play versus proponents seeking regionalized, specialized facilities with broader tournament and program potential. The project’s developers and city staff indicated additional materials and traffic designs would be part of the formal site-plan review process.

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