Lake Wyman could make a comeback

Marci Shatzman mshatzman@tribune.com

Boca could consider resurrecting the Lake Wyman Project at a city park in a city neighborhood.

Three city advisory boards have recommended reintroducing the county's Lake Wyman Restoration Project in Boca Raton, a move that was welcomed by county officials if the city acts.

Plans in 2012 called for adding picnic areas, a boat dock, more boardwalks and an observation platform, and sinking acres of land for sea grass behind Lake Wyman Park and James A. Rutherford Park on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway.

City Council approved its share of the funding in May 2012, and former Mayor Susan Whelchel talked it up in her state of the city address in 2013.

But there was opposition. Some Golden Harbour neighbors wanted an independent study on how tides would flush in their neighborhood, built on canals. They also asked for a sinking fund to maintain the mangroves, and canoe and kayak trails that were overgrown and no longer usable.

But there were deadlines for grants at the time, and since then nothing has happened on the proposed 50-acre project.

Then on Dec. 10, 2014, the city's Marine Advisory Board started the ball rolling again when it recommended contacting the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management, which had shepherded the project along before.

Marine Advisory Board chairman Gene Folden brought the letter before the Parks and Recreation Board at its January meeting. And the Environmental Advisory Board voted unanimously to join the support effort Jan. 29. Chairman Stephen Alley called for a vote and the panel unanimously approved it.

Resurrecting the project, priced at $3 million at the time, would please former Boca Ratonmayor now County Commissioner Steven Abrams, who has always championed the project.

Robert Robbins, director of Environment Resources Management, said if the city wants to move forward, the county could start from scratch on the design and the funding. His department still lists Lake Wyman on its website as an estuary project.

"We still believe this is a very valuable project and would be happy to resume working with the city, but there's two things we need to know," Robbins said. "If the city wants us to come back and work with them, and we need to know the residents are engaged.

"We're fine looking at a project again with a clean slate and fresh eyes. It has to be environmental restoration and we prefer a public use component," he said.

Stakeholders include the city and county, Florida Inland Navigational District, called FIND, which was picking up most of the funding, and the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, among others.

"The FIND money would have to reapply, and the county money was used for other projects. That doesn't mean we can't find other money and look at other grants sources. But first there has to be an agreement as to the vision," Robbins said.

Abrams said everything remains on hold and "when the time is right we're more than willing to jump start the project," he said. "It's still a worthwhile project to do when they feel the time is right in renewing it."

He's still concerned about the neighbors.

"We have really worked hard to redesign the project to address their concerns," he said. "Ultimately, they live next door to a public park yet they have issues and we have to take those into account."

Copyright © 2016, Sun Sentinel