By Mayor Michael Napoleone
Summer is one of my favorite times of the year. School is out, families come together, our parks and programs are thriving, and we can celebrate the season with some of the best events in the County. As we enjoy the sunshine and longer days, we must also stay vigilant — hurricane season has arrived. Last year we learned the painful lesson that hurricanes are not nature’s only threat for which we must all prepare. Now is the to review your family’s storm plans, update your emergency kits – and if you don’t have them, make them. Visit wellingtonfl.gov/HurricaneReady for important resources to help you weather any storm that may come our way.
Now, let’s talk about some of the exciting things happening around the Village this month:
Wellington’s July 4th Celebration
If you’re looking for family-friendly Fourth of July fun, look no further than our annual celebration at Village Park. Join us on Friday, July 4th, from 6 pm to 9 pm for an evening packed with live music and activities, capped off with our spectacular fireworks show at presented by Zambelli Fireworks International. Parking is limited, so we encourage you to take advantage of our FREE shuttle service from The Mall at Wellington Green. For more details, visit wellingtonfl.gov/July4th. This is always one of Wellington’s signature events, and an excellent way to celebrate America with friends and neighbors.
Summer is in Full Swing at Village Park
Speaking of Village Park, it’s the heart of summer fun in our community. This year, we welcomed hundreds of campers to our popular all-day camps and hosted football tournaments, grappling championships, and major soccer events, drawing thousands of athletes and visitors from near and far.
As someone raising my children here, I’ve seen firsthand how much our programs and facilities have grown. We are proud to provide opportunities for youth and families to stay active and connected during the summer months.
Of course, with all that activity comes wear and tear on our fields. That’s why our multipurpose fields (1–16) are currently undergoing important maintenance, including the laying of new sod. These fields will remain closed through late August. We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we prepare them for an even better playing experience in the fall.
A New Era for Aquatics in Wellington
Just down the road, work continues on our exciting new Wellington Aquatics Complex, a true game-changer for our Village. This state-of-the-art facility will feature a 64-meter Olympic pool, diving wells, a zero-entry recreational pool, and Palm Beach County’s first NinjaCross aquatic obstacle course. A modern 8,000 square-foot building will house locker rooms, concessions, multipurpose rooms, and more. We are hopeful to be celebrate the grand opening of the complex before the end of the year, and I know our community is eager to dive in.
Tennis, Padel & Pickleball Boom
Our Tennis Center continues to thrive, with weekly programs and tournaments. In June we officially broke ground on six new tennis courts and seven new Padel courts. Padel, which combines the elements of tennis, racquetball, and squash, is one of the fastest-growing racquet sports in the world and we are excited to bring it to Wellington. The padel courts are being built through a public-private partnership with 10by20 LLC, and will include a café, player’s area, and pro shop. We anticipate that the new courts and facilities will be open early next year.
To accommodate the surging demand for pickleball, we added six new pickleball courts at Greenbriar Park, and the response has been tremendous. We continue to host clinics and events to meet this growing interest.
Welcome Back to South Shore Park
Finally, I’m thrilled to share that we recently welcomed the community back to South Shore Park with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony, where our summer camp participants got first access to the newly refurbished space.
This beautiful park now features 2 baseball fields, multipurpose fields, two lighted outdoor basketball courts, picnic pavilions, restrooms, and open green space perfect for family outings and community gatherings. While this was a long-time coming, the renovation to this site and its dedication for unprogrammed play is another example of our continued investment in quality recreational spaces for our residents.
As we move through the late summer months, I encourage everyone to take advantage of the many outstanding programs, parks, and events Wellington offers. Stay safe, have fun, and I hope to see you out and about enjoying all that our Village has to offer this July!