BOCA RATON — On September 13, Palm Beach County Commission Chair Shelley Vana and Vice Chairman Steven Abrams hosted local officials and citizens at the official opening of the new public-use facilities and wetland restoration at Pondhawk Natural Area in Boca Raton.
Following a short ceremony with other local partnering agencies, the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management conducted a guided tour.
The 79-acre natural area is located next to the Spanish River Library on Spanish River Boulevard, adjacent to Blue Lake. The new public-use facilities include a half-mile accessible loop trail and wildlife observation platform, a quarter-mile natural-surface hiking trail, a quarter-mile multiuse (hiking and cycling) trail around Blue Lake, a bike rack, and an informational kiosk.
Funding partners include Palm Beach County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection/Florida Communities Trust program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the City of Boca Raton.