The City of Boca Raton is in the beginning phases of undertaking an extensive restoration project at both James A. Rutherford and Lake Wyman Parks. The restoration project is expected to include boat ramps, kayak launch, parking, access, canoe trail revitalization, boardwalk replacement, exotic vegetation removal, mangrove habitat establishment and enhancement and coastal hammock development.
In March 2017, the City of Boca Raton applied for a grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) Waterways Assistance Program for Phase 1 of the Lake Wyman and Rutherford Park Restoration Project. Phase 1 includes engineering, permitting, and design associated with the revitalization of the canoe trails and boardwalks within Lake Wyman and Rutherford Park, environmental enhancements within the two park areas and the development of a coastal hammock along the FIND property located in Lake Wyman.
FIND will make the grant recipient announcement in September 2017.
During the May 9, 2017 City Council Meeting, a resolution was passed to execute an agreement between the City of Boca Raton and with the consultant Applied Technology and Management (ATM) Inc., for the purpose of proving professional architectural services for the development of the Rutherford Park and Lake Wyman Park Restoration Project.
The consultant ATM will be issued Work Orders to conduct the tasks listed below. The first work order to be issued to ATM will be to conduct a seagrass and benthic resources survey and mapping and to begin the preliminary project development, project planning and site investigations. The results of the seagrass and benthic resources survey and mapping will be submitted to both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the USACE as part of the entire project permit application.
The general tasks for the Rutherford Park and Lake Wyman Park Restoration Project will include:
- Preliminary Work and Data Collection
- Survey and Geotechnical Field Investigations
- Architechtural Design/Landscape
- Engineering Design
- Permitting Support Services
- Bid Assistance and Construction Administration