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Boynton Beach debate over Pentz Park redesign centers on splash‑pad maintenance, multipurpose room and community input
Summary
City staff presented a Pentz Park redevelopment that would add fields, pickleball courts, restrooms and a multipurpose room; commissioners pushed for consideration of a water feature or splash pad, citing community demand and maintenance tradeoffs. Staff said full splash pads are maintenance‑heavy and proposed centralized aquatic options and returning with alternatives on Jan. 20.
City staff on Thursday presented a near‑final design for the Pentz Park redevelopment in downtown Boynton Beach and faced immediate questions from commissioners about the absence of a splash pad or other water feature.
The presenter said the redesign at 600 Southeast 4th Street would expand the park by abandoning part of Southeast 3rd Street and using adjacent railroad right‑of‑way. Planned amenities include multipurpose athletic fields with synthetic turf, bleachers, four illuminated pickleball courts, a playground, new restrooms, a roughly 1,000–1,500‑square‑foot multipurpose room and an on‑site maintenance building. Construction documents are at about 100% and permitting was expected in February.
Commissioner Turkin pressed staff to explain why earlier community conversations that referenced a splash pad were not reflected in the current drawings. “When I'm advocating and speaking with my constituents ... we’ve discussed this,” Turkin said, noting disappointment at the lack of prior dais briefing and public options. Other commissioners echoed the request for greater communication and asked whether a smaller water feature could be included.
City staff said splash pads require significant upkeep and can be unreliable. A staff member explained the city is evaluating centralizing aquatic features at a larger facility — including a future renovation of the Denson Pool/Carolyn Sim Center — but left open the possibility of a smaller, lower‑maintenance water feature in Pentz Park. “Those type of place, splash pads are very maintenance heavy ... we’re looking to potentially centralize that into an aquatic center,” staff said, while adding that a modest water feature could still be considered during permitting.
Carl Fermenti, the city’s director of construction services, highlighted site constraints including limited footprint and parking needs, noting some amenities were removed during design to preserve open space and accommodate athletic fields. He said alternate parks with more space and parking (for example, Denson Pool or Barrier Free Park) may better host a large aquatic feature, though the design team would consider options for Pentz Park.
Several commissioners suggested tradeoffs: reducing or reconfiguring the multipurpose room could free space and budget for a water feature, or the city could install a low‑maintenance fountain‑style feature similar to examples in other municipalities. Commissioners directed staff to return with a small set of concepts and to present them at a Forest Park community meeting scheduled for Jan. 20 so residents can weigh in before plans are finalized.
The meeting closed the discussion with staff agreeing to try to have concept options available for the Jan. 20 meeting and to follow up about required tradeoffs, costs and maintenance implications.
The board did not vote on the park design; the next procedural step is the community presentation and additional staff proposals on Jan. 20.
