New playground at Patch Reef Park will enable visitors of all abilities to enjoy a state-of-the-art facility together.
BOCA RATON, Fla. (November 3, 2024) – Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Commissioners will ceremoniously break ground on a new, inclusive playground at Patch Reef Park on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 3 p.m.
The new playground, inspired by a request from Boca Raton’s David Ogman and family, will enable their son, Jordan, and other children with special needs to play side-by-side with friends and family.
The ceremony will occur near the current Pirates Cove playground, located at the west end of the park between the softball fields and the basketball courts.
Members of the Ogman family are expected to speak at the groundbreaking, as are District Chair Erin Wright, Commissioner Steve Engel and Executive Director Briann Harms.
The new inclusive playground will replace the current Pirates Cove playground at Patch Reef Park. The Pirates Cove will temporarily close for the renovation beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Nearly all of the park’s natural features, including grasses, trees and rocks, will remain.
The new playground’s innovative features ensure accessibility and inclusivity, offering a welcoming and engaging space for children and families in the Boca Raton community.
The existing splash pad will receive a makeover, adding new interactive elements. Climbing structures, swings and slides will have softer artificial turf underneath, along with shade structures for year-round comfort.
Features like a wheelchair-compatible swing set and slides mounted on grassy hills rather than ladders afford easier access for children of all abilities.
For the parents, additional benches afford better, shaded, sight lines for monitoring their child’s play. There will be completely new picnic areas, restroom facilities and additional ADA parking.
A fence will surround the entire inclusive playground area to keep curious children from wandering unsupervised into different areas of the park.
The new inclusive playground at Patch Reef Park is expected to open in the summer of 2025.
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ABOUT THE GREATER BOCA RATON BEACH AND PARK DISTRICT: The District is committed to the acquisition and development of parks and recreation facilities. It seeks to provide entertaining and engaging leisure, educational, athletic and cultural activities to all of its residents and guests. The District owns multiple recreational facilities and/or parks in the Boca Raton area, including Sugar Sand Park, Patch Reef Park, the Swim and Racquet Center, North Park and Ocean Strand. In addition, through interlocal agreements with the City of Boca Raton, it funds the operating expenses of the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Red Reef Park, Spanish River Athletic Facilities and Mizner Bark Dog Park.
