Related: Save Boca has its say, submits petitions for referendum
A Boca Raton City Council discussion on the proposed redevelopment of the city’s 30-acre downtown campus gave proponents a chance to push back on some of the residents’ objections and correct what they see as misinformation.
“Not a giveaway, but a return: The city gains billions in financial return, avoids raising taxes and secures modern civic infrastructure at no cost to residents,” the city said in an audience presentation on Aug. 26.
Should park stay downtown?
Many residents do not want to lose the 17-acre Memorial Park that is part of the downtown campus. It now has tennis courts, a skate park, softball fields and other recreation facilities, many of which will be relocated to other city or Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District parks.
City officials have repeatedly said the existing facilities are very old and of poor quality. Moving them would allow the city and the district to provide greatly enhanced new facilities.
Some residents see merit to that, but others want the city to upgrade the current facilities, which are convenient to people who live in or near the downtown.
Is tribute to World War II vets being sacrificed?
Another major issue, one that has caused an outcry among residents, is that they believe Memorial Park was created to honor those who fought and died in World War II.
Eliminating it is unacceptable, they say.
Both sides agree Memorial Park was created with that name in 1947. A war memorial building was intended to be built, yet never was.
But a war memorial, dedicated to veterans, has existed at the Boca Raton Cemetery and Mausoleum at 451 SW Fourth Ave. since 1953, and Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies are held there, City Manager George Brown said.
Many city residents are unconvinced, and want Memorial Park preserved. A Sept. 2 Fox News report drew national support for the park’s preservation.
Will banyan trees be saved?
The downtown campus’ beloved banyan trees are another sore point. The city has said they will be preserved, but Save Boca contends two will be cut down.
Rob Frisbie told the council on Aug. 26 that all six will be preserved, four in their current location, while two will be moved to stand outside the new City Hall.
Is public-private partnership needed?
Jon Pearlman of Save Boca argues that the city should ditch Terra/Frisbie and rebuild City Hall and the Community Center in their same spots on the campus.
That work could be done for less than $50 million, he said, and the city could easily finance that itself since it has $667 million in reserves.
But city officials say that is not the case. The city maintains cash balances in about 30 funds that cover various city operations such as providing water and sewer services. Those are not reserves, but rather operating cash flows. They can’t be commingled and there are legal restrictions on what the money can be used for. Most of it can’t be used to build a City Hall and Community Center. The city now has $34.5 million in unrestricted funds that could go to such construction.
City consultants are doing an economic report and analysis of the project’s impact on city finances. That information could be available in September.
— Mary Hladky
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