By Tao Woolfe
Phil Terrano, the man who wants to revive East Boynton Beach’s Little League Park, delivered the payoff pitch to the City Commission last month.
Not only did the commissioners vote unanimously on Feb. 21 in favor of revitalizing the park on Woolbright Road, they asked Terrano to more than triple the size of his proposed indoor training facility.
Terrano had proposed building a 7,500-square-foot training facility. City officials — who had toured similar facilities — originally said they would like him to build a 12,000-square-foot building.
Recreation director Kacy Young, working with the building department, later determined that a 28,000-square- foot facility would better suit the city’s needs. Although it will have a special emphasis on baseball, training at the facility will be for all major sports and could be a draw for professional athletes, Terrano has told the city.
Services offered will include speed, agility, strength and conditioning training, nutrition programs, batting cages, pro clay bullpen mounds, data assessment, physical therapy, chiropractic services, youth camps and scholarship programs.
Terrano, an agent for major league baseball players, has also said he and his investors envision adding turf fields and making the park accessible for people with disabilities. The city would also like to spruce up the existing grass fields, add tee ball and artificial turf fields, and upgrade the bathrooms and concession stands, Young has said.
Terrano had hoped to have the work completed by summer, but Young said a year would be a more realistic timetable.
Neighbors of the park who live in the High Point complex said they welcome the upgrade. A couple of other residents expressed safety concerns and said they would rather see the property used to enlarge the city cemetery.
Terrano said the veterans memorial wall, which is on the north side of the parcel, will be kept intact and meticulously maintained.
“This will be a destination ballpark that everyone can come to,” Terrano said. “I want Boynton Beach to have the best — a field of dreams.”
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