A Penny for your ... Parks!

CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH GEARS UP FOR MAJOR PARKS IMPROVEMENTS

(West Palm Beach, FL) – It has been exactly one week since Palm Beach County voters passed a penny increase in the sales tax, and the City of West Palm Beach is starting to gear up for how its new money will be spent. Over the next ten years, the city is expected to receive $60 million dollars from the sales tax. According to city economic development officials, the sales tax money combined with a previously approved $40 million dollar capital improvement bond, will bring the grand total to $100 million dollars in infrastructure funds spread over the next ten years.

Topping the list of planned projects are several improvements to city parks. Major infrastructure repairs to the parks have been needed for years, but the economy and other spending priorities have frequently pushed those plans to the economic back burner.

The Pleasant City Community Center, overdue for renovations, needs a complete interior renovation. The new funding will pay to rebuild the existing community center into a modern facility with a computer lab, a meeting and programming room, game room, dance studio/fitness room, large multi-purpose room, and a small commercial kitchen. The total estimated cost for the project is $1.5 million dollars.

Coleman Park is also expected be expanded. A $3.5 million dollar renovation is needed, according to the city, in order to “better serve the increasing number of families moving into the area.”

The biggest ticket items will be improvements to both Gaines Park and Howard Park. Both parks are scheduled to receive $5 million dollars each. At Howard Park, the improvements will double the number of children attending programs, while at Gaines Park the money will be used for new computer labs, a dance and fitness room, and a new commercial kitchen and general renovations to the buildings.

Finally, the new sales tax money will also pay for new playground equipment in Palmetto Park. That project has a price tag of approximately $500,000.

The new sales tax takes effect January 1, 2017.