The Village of Royal Palm Beach continues to carry on its legacy of being a “Tree City USA,” keeping its longstanding commitment for 10 acres of park land per 1,000 residents. Longtime Village Manager Ray Liggins and new Parks & Recreation Director Mark Pawlowski reflect positively on this past year and are looking forward to new projects in 2024.
“We finished the construction of two large pavilions at Commons Park. Each pavilion will provide needed shade and complete the improvements surrounding the Great Lawn,” Liggins said.
He is also happy with the new Royal Palm Beach Village Hall, which opened in August. There will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication for the new building on Thursday, Feb. 29.
“We added significant new public space serving post office customers and the customers of village services,” Liggins said. “Village Hall was built with the latest technology, allowing us to continue to broadcast our meetings on You Tube, Comcast Channel 20 and U-verse TV. Conference rooms have the latest audio-visual equipment, allowing virtual meetings as if the attendees are present. Village Hall will also double as our Emergency Operations Center, allowing continuous service following an emergency. Come to our new council chambers for a council meeting the third Thursday of each month and see the facilities for yourself.”
While still new in the position, Pawlowski has embraced his role at the helm of parks and recreation in a community that prides itself on its recreational offerings.
“I remain excited about the opportunity to provide such an expansive amount of open space, park sites and recreation programs for the residents of the Royal Palm Beach community,” he said. “My parks and recreation staff have done a great job in exposing me to all of their efforts that make a positive impact on our community.”
Pawlowski is impressed with the expansive variations in age of the participants on a regular basis and is optimistic about continued community involvement in the future.
“Every morning, afternoon and evening, I see plenty of people living active lives and benefiting from our offerings,” he said. “Our youth basketball has just started playing games at the Recreation Center, so I’m looking forward to watching a few games in the near future. I’ve also been able to attend a few of our senior citizen and Young at Heart gatherings, which also gave me the chance to meet several of our regular participants.”
In the next year, Liggins noted that there are many plans for upcoming upgrades, particularly in the area around the new Royal Palm Beach Village Hall.
“We will add a fountain, parking and a sculpture commissioned for Royal Palm Beach. In the summer of 2024, Crestwood Park next to the canal will be open with tennis, volleyball, sand volleyball, basketball, a playset and a multi-purpose lawn. The Recreation Center remodel and expansion will get underway in 2024, with completion in late 2025. We will be adding restrooms, multi-use rooms and another gym with a second-floor walking/jogging path.”
