By Steve Plunkett
Prodded by the impending loss of access to three sports fields at Florida Atlantic University, the city and the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District have approved agreements that lay the groundwork for adding fields at the Countess de Hoernle Park.
The park, which is on Spanish River Boulevard west of Interstate 95 and is also known as the Spanish River Athletic Complex, has been a joint venture since 2011. The city owns the land and supplies manpower and scheduling; the district pays for operation and maintenance and for the original construction.
The amended agreement, approved Sept. 8 by the district and Sept. 22 by the City Council, restates the partnership, allowing the district to manage the design, procurement and construction of a second phase of the park while giving the city the opportunity to review the plans and provide comments. The district must give “substantial consideration” to the city’s recommendations, the agreement states.
With the document signed, the district is moving the Phase II project into the design and permitting stages. The conceptual plan, which currently shows four new athletic fields, parking and restrooms, will continue to be refined through coordination between the district and the city, Briann Harms, the district’s executive director, said in a memo to district commissioners.
In June 2025 the district began discussing what would happen when it lost access to the FAU fields in 2030. The district has paid for access to the fields for decades, but the university says student demand for them has grown.
The new agreement has a 30-year term with options for 10-year renewals.
Comments