Boca Raton postpones building Countess de Hoernle Park

By C. Ron Allen

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

July 15, 2008

City officials have postponed plans to build the Countess de Hoernle Park any time soon because of budget shortfalls, authorities said Monday.

'Tax revenues are down and I don't think any of the elected officials are in a mood to build it, and I don't think taxpayers are in a mood to fund it, either,' said Buddy Parks, deputy recreation services director. 'It could be a year or it could be five years, so it will just sit until times turn around.'

City officials wanted to build the park on land that IBM once owned behind Don Estridge High Tech Middle School near Spanish River Boulevard and Military Trail.

But they said they were forced to rethink their decision after state legislators amended the property tax system, which provides the city its largest share of revenue.

The project, estimated to cost $17 million to $25 million, was to include four soccer fields and four baseball fields, lakes and possibly botanical gardens.

The proposed park drew its name from Countess Henrietta de Hoernle, a prominent philanthropist originally from Germany, for her contributions to the city. She has not offered to contribute to the project, officials said.

For the park, Recreation Services officials conducted a study on the advantages of using sod vs. artificial turf, which has been controversial because of possible health concerns. The artificial fields, which often use ground rubber tire crumbs for infill, contain chemicals ranging from lung irritants to carcinogens, according to some studies.

Parks said the rubber infill turf is safe and unlike grass, which requires continuous maintenance, artificial turf is durable and cuts maintenance costs.

'This stuff pays for itself,' Parks said. 'Although it's expensive initially, it will definitely pay off.'

About 47 percent of the expense would be for the base, a one-time cost, he said.

Crumb rubber infill turf uses tiny bits of recycled tires to cushion the spaces between blades of green artificial grass. Tens of thousands of pounds are used in an average field.

Robert 'Bob' Rollins Jr., a board member of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, remains optimistic.

'I'd like to consider it as postponed,' he said. 'We're in the midst of budgeting and forecasting now and we see that the need for that facility has not gone away and the revenue stream will not support the development of the park as it was envisioned.'

C. Ron Allen can be reached at crallen@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6611.

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