Published On: Wed, Nov 29th, 2017

Wildflower Nightclub Site Now Officially Opened as a Park

By: Michael Demyan

Boca Raton’s new Wildflower Park is now open to the public and while the name might seem normal on the surface, it actually has nothing to do with nature.

The location is the previous site of the Wildflower nightclub, which thrived during the 1980s, before closing its doors for good in 1999. The building was left vacant for years before it was finally demolished in 2009 and the city bought the property that December for $7.5 million.

Since then, the site has not been used for anything and has been left as an empty lot. There was an attempt to lease the property to Hillstone Restaurant Group, but after voters decided that city-owned properties in the area should be used as parks last year, the city named the Wildflower property as a park in May.

It officially opened on Monday after the city placed new lights as well as a walkway to Silver Palm Park, however there is still not much to do at the park yet. It is still mainly a vacant lot of concrete, but there are plans in place to improve the location over time.

The city would like to redevelop the Wildflower lot, as well as Silver Palm Park, to be premiere landmarks in Boca Raton. Ideas will be shown at the City Council Workshop on Dec. 11 by the city’s consultant, EDSA.

Currently, the 2.27-acre lot sitting at 551 E. Palmetto Park Road can be used for free parking from morning until evening. Those who wish to watch the Holiday Boat Parade on Dec. 16 can also head to the park to see the boats out on the water. Bleachers, food vendors and dessert trucks will be there for those who attend. Keeping with the holiday theme of the event, toy donations will also be accepted as a part of the Toys for Tots campaign.

The 41st annual parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. as boats travel from the C-15 Canal at the Delray Beach and Boca Raton border, to the Hillsboro Bridge. The Wildflower Park will be a prime location to see the boats travel through the bridge on East Palmetto Park Road. Other locations to watch the parade include Red Reef Park and Silver Palm Park, which will also have the food and bleacher seating.

Boca Raton will be continuing its initiative to improve its parks in the future, including the Wildflower property, with the waterfront master plan. The plan will include projects such as adding pathways and benches.

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