BOCA RATON, Fla. — A multimillion-dollar addition is coming to southern Palm Beach County, one that combines the arts and ice under one roof.
"We've got a lot of hockey going on in South Florida," Mike Moschette said.
Moschette has two boys who play hockey. The game is a way of life in his household.
"Five nights a week I'm at one rink in South Florida where the kids practice and then we play just about every other weekend," he said.
Moschette heard that a developer is looking to build the Boca Ice and Fine Arts Center.
"I live in Boca, to have something right near the house would definitely be convenient," he said. "Also, due to the fact that the more ice rinks in South Florida, the more kids that will play, will help grow the sport."
The city of Boca Raton approved the project that will house two NHL-size rinks, a running track, along with ballet/dance, under one roof.
"That's going to be on the northern tip of our city right off of Congress Avenue, right where the I-95 interchange is, and it's going to fill a huge need in our city," Councilman Andy Thomson said.
He said while the facility will serve a variety of uses, it also triggered traffic and parking concerns for people who live nearby.
"All legitimate concerns and what the developers did was work with them to make sure those concerns were addressed," Thomson said. "They're going to have speed bumps to be put into their neighborhood. They're going to have security people who are out there directing traffic in the event there's a special event."
The center is expected to be completed in the fall of 2021. Moschette said the news is great.
"It keeps the kids out of trouble, keeps them off the street," he said.