West of Boynton, $12 million first phase of Canyon District Park comes to life

Mike Diamond, Palm Beach Post
·4 min read
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Canyon District Park includes new soccer fields in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.
Canyon District Park includes new soccer fields in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.

The new Canyon District Park, west of Boynton Beach, opened on Monday.

Soccer enthusiasts have begun to use its three lighted multi-purpose fields for open and league play.

The formal opening for the 53-acre park near the intersection of Boynton Beach Boulevard and Acme Dairy Road, is Sept. 24. The $12 million first phase includes the soccer fields, a fitness trail, parking for more than 100 cars, a 2,600-square-foot maintenance building, and two new lakes to create a buffer between the park and the adjacent Canyon Lakes development.

Construction on the new West Boynton Middle School in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.
Construction on the new West Boynton Middle School in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.

The second phase, to be completed in the summer of 2024 at a cost of another $10 million, will feature additional lighted sports fields, a showcase playground and picnic facilities. The work is funded through a combination of impact fees and infrastructure sales tax proceeds.

“This is long overdue,” said Steve Wallace, president of the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations (COBWRA), noting he moved to the region in 2009 and was promised a park then. “These facilities are very much needed to accommodate the growth that has occurred in recent years."

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West of Boynton Beach: Work starts on 52-acre park near Canyon Lakes

Canyon District Park includes soccer fields, a fitness trail, parking for more than 100 cars, a 2,600-square-foot maintenance building and two new lakes in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.
Canyon District Park includes soccer fields, a fitness trail, parking for more than 100 cars, a 2,600-square-foot maintenance building and two new lakes in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.

There has been significant residential development west of Florida's Turnpike between Boynton Beach Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. In the past 10 years, more than 5,000 dwelling units have been built, and another 600+ unit development, Valencia Grand, is currently being constructed. The first group of residents expect to move in there sometime next year.

The park is one of three large-scale public projects planned for the region.

Just to the north of the park will be West Boynton Middle School, which is now being built on a 12-acre site. The $55 million project is expected to be completed in time for the 2023 school year. More than 1,300 students will be enrolled at the school, which is adjacent to the existing Sunset Palms elementary school. The new middle school will have its own outdoor basketball and tennis courts, soccer, baseball and softball fields, and a 100-meter track.

Decktight Roofing Services workers assembly a roof over picnic tables at the Canyon District Park in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.
Decktight Roofing Services workers assembly a roof over picnic tables at the Canyon District Park in Boynton Beach on August 2, 2022.

School and county officials are negotiating a joint-use agreement that would allow middle school teams to use the county soccer fields and county residents to use the school's tennis courts and basketball courts during off hours.

Ground breaking for a $21 million library also will occur Sept. 24, the same date as the formal opening of the county park. Construction of the 33,000-square-foot library had to wait until the park opened as it will be built on the site of the old soccer fields at Canyon Town Center.

Artists rendering of middle school under construction west of Boynton Beach
Artists rendering of middle school under construction west of Boynton Beach

The library will have a large meeting room that can accommodate 300 people, a digital media lab, and automated checkout and return stations.

When all three projects are completed, nearly $100 million will have been spent to enhance public facilities in one of the fastest growing regions of Palm Beach County.

Are the roads equipped to handle all the growth west of Boynton?

County planners have worked to help ease traffic issues by having the entrance to the new school off the Connector Road to avoid congestion on Acme Dairy Road. Opening and closing times for the new school and the existing elementary school will be staggered to ease congestion.

But Wallace is concerned over what will happen if county commissioners approve high-density projects proposed for Boynton Beach Boulevard west of the turnpike.

“It is going to be a disaster,” he said. “The road system is not equipped to handle all that increased traffic. I’m not concerned about the public projects. It is the new residential development that will cause issues.”

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The west Boynton region falls within the district of County Commissioner Maria Sachs. She said she, too, is concerned with the traffic impacts that could result from the new residential development proposed for the area.

"We need to improve infrastructure first before any of these new homes are built," she said. "Clearly, the roads need to be widened."

As for the new public facilities, she said they will "help to create a sense of community that has been missing," noting: "We have built row upon row of homes and have taken too long to provide these amenities to our residents."

Mike Diamond is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers county government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West of Boynton, Canyon District Park projects coming to life