North county's 'pocket parks': Six sites for fun, reflection that you might have missed

Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post
Updated ·5 min read

Each northern Palm Beach County community has what some call a pocket park.

These hidden gems, many of which take up less than an acre, all have something special about them. One has two steel beams from the World Trade Center in New York City, another has a piece of a historic railroad embedded in its grass and a third one has wheelchair-accessible playground equipment for children of differing abilities.

One became a place of annual Santa Claus sightings. And another found an inspired use for a tiny triangle of land.

The smaller-than-usual spans of gardens, picnic benches, towering trees and trails serve as a place for residents to befriend their neighbors, host birthday parties, take their dogs for an afternoon walk or simply find a moment of peace in nature.

Jupiter: Officer Bruce St. Laurent Park

Officer Bruce St. Laurent Park is a 1-acre site along Military Trail in Jupiter dedicated to the police officer who died in 2012. At Christmastime, St. Laurent would go to the park dressed as Santa Claus and give presents to children from the Pine Gardens neighborhood.
Officer Bruce St. Laurent Park is a 1-acre site along Military Trail in Jupiter dedicated to the police officer who died in 2012. At Christmastime, St. Laurent would go to the park dressed as Santa Claus and give presents to children from the Pine Gardens neighborhood.

Size: 1 acre

Location: 705 Military Trail, Jupiter

Hours: Every day from sunrise to sunset.

Fun fact: The park is named after Bruce St. Laurent, a Jupiter police officer who was killed in September 2012 while helping to block traffic for former President Barack Obama's motorcade at the southbound 45th Street entrance ramp to Interstate 95 in West Palm Beach.

During the holidays, St. Laurent took on an additional role. For many years in December, he would go to the park, which was formerly called Pine Gardens Park, dressed as Santa Claus to hand out donated presents to children in the neighborhood.

When did it open? 2002

The park is directly behind the Jupiter Branch of the Palm Beach County Library, within walking distance for every resident of the Pine Gardens South neighborhood.

Features: Two covered picnic areas, playground equipment and parking.

Enjoy being outside: 10 best parks in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach Gardens: The Inclusive Playground at Gardens Park

The inclusive playground at Gardens Park in Palm Beach Gardens is a place for people with differing abilities. People in wheelchairs can find several activities at the site along Burns Road.
The inclusive playground at Gardens Park in Palm Beach Gardens is a place for people with differing abilities. People in wheelchairs can find several activities at the site along Burns Road.

Size: About a quarter of an acre

Location: 4301 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens

Hours: Every day from sunrise to sunset.

Fun fact: This park caters to people with differing abilities, with wheelchair-accessible playground pieces and a poly-rubber surface that covers the ground so that those rolling on wheels have a softer landing.

When did it open? December 2021

The Inclusive Playground at Gardens Park is the first fully inclusive park in the city. The goal of this park is to give parents and children with varying abilities the opportunity to play at a playground together safely and in a more accessible way.

Features: Wheelchair-accessible swing, interactive multidirectional swing, assisted zipline, modified monkey bars, a merry-go-round with high-backed seats, a bank-shot court (which is similar to a basketball court), restrooms and parking.

Juno Beach: Town Hall Park

A piece of track from the Celestial Railroad, which linked Jupiter and Juno Beach in the 1800s, is on display at Town Hall Park in Juno Beach.
A piece of track from the Celestial Railroad, which linked Jupiter and Juno Beach in the 1800s, is on display at Town Hall Park in Juno Beach.

Size: About a third of an acre

Location: 841 Ocean Drive, Juno Beach

Hours: Every day from sunrise to sunset.

Fun fact: There is a piece of track from the Celestial Railroad, a 7.5-mile railroad with lines that previously ran from Juno Beach to Jupiter from 1887 to 1896, on display at the park.

When did it open? December 2018

Features: One gazebo, a bike rack, benches, historical signs about the area and a walkway with personalized bricks.

North Palm Beach: Osborne Park

Osborne Park, nestled along Prosperity Farms Road in North Palm Beach, is home to a popular community garden.
Osborne Park, nestled along Prosperity Farms Road in North Palm Beach, is home to a popular community garden.

Size: About 7 acres

Location: 705 Prosperity Farms Road, North Palm Beach

Hours: Every day from sunrise to sunset.

Fun fact: This park has a community garden with soil beds that can be rented out for their garden season, which runs from Sept. 1 to May 31. Rates are as low as $25 for a half bed and can go up to $50 for a full bed for residents. For nonresidents, rates are between $35 and $70.

When did it open? The 1960s

Features: Community garden, two basketball courts with lights, four racquetball courts, two handball courts, two batting cages, two baseball fields with lights, children's playground, one pavilion, restrooms and parking.

Lake Park: West Ilex Park

West Ilex Park in Lake Park turns one-fifth of an acre into a neighborhood playground. The town installed new recreation equipment there in November 2023.
West Ilex Park in Lake Park turns one-fifth of an acre into a neighborhood playground. The town installed new recreation equipment there in November 2023.

Size: About one-fifth of an acre

Location: At the intersection of West Ilex Drive and Eighth Street.

Hours: Every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fun fact: The town unveiled new playground equipment at the triangle-shaped park on Nov. 7, using more than $103,000 in grant funds to buy the new materials.

Every element of the old playground except for the swing set was removed in 2020 after it fell into disrepair, damaged by wind and rain. Crews removed the remaining swing before the new equipment installations, when a new swing set was also added.

When did it open? 2008

Features: Playground equipment for children between the ages of 5 and 12, one large picnic table and multiple park benches.

Tequesta: Village Green Park

A 9/11 memorial, built in part from two beams from the World Trade Center, is the key feature at Village Green Park in Tequesta.
A 9/11 memorial, built in part from two beams from the World Trade Center, is the key feature at Village Green Park in Tequesta.

Size: About 1 acre

Location: 345 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta

Hours: Open at all times.

Fun fact: The park features two steel beams from the World Trade Center in New York City, which the village received in 2010. They are incorporated into a 9/11 memorial site at the park, which is anchored by a fountain encircled by benches.

The park's second fountain sits to the west of the memorial fountain. It was built in 1985 and dedicated to Charles P. Martyn, who founded Tequesta and the nearby town of Jupiter Inlet Colony. It is surrounded by a border made of marble, which was preserved from the original village hall.

When did it open? 1974

Features: Two fountains, seven benches, one picnic table and parking.

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Hidden gems: Six 'pocket parks' in northern Palm Beach County