Eco-Walk in Boynton Beach Opens This Wednesday

Grand opening of Boynton's Old Dixie Eco-Walk

The grand opening will be on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Entrances are at 3501 S. Federal Highway and 3373 S. Federal Highway.

Copyright © 2013, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Story by Attiyya Anthony

Butterflies will soon be fluttering around what used to be a "yucky strip of grass" along Old Dixie Highway in Boynton Beach.

The Old Dixie Eco-Walk, which will have its grand opening on Wednesday, is a city reforestation project of a once barren quarter-mile strip of land, funded by the city's Art in Public Places program.

"I don't think there's anything like this project," said public art administrator Debby Coles-Dobay. "This area was just grass before, but with public-private partnerships we've done a reforestation of the easement to attract and sustain butterflies."

The city partnered with local artists, scientists, developers and landscape architects to transform the land into a habitat for 12 butterfly species and 61 native plants.

"It's a functioning piece of eco-art," said Dave Bodker of David Bodker Landscape Architecture/Planning. "Instead of something that someone can just look at, you can walk through."

People can enjoy the 50-foot wide linear park and watch butterflies in their natural habitat, while sitting on functional sculptures or while walking through butterfly-etched concrete.

Artist Lucy Keshavarz of Art & Culture Group said she wants people to enjoy the landscape, but hopes they grasp a bigger message.

"This art is working, this art has a job to do," Keshavarz said. "It's eye candy for the humans, but it benefits the birds, butterflies and the bees. We're all connected."

The eco-walk connects Phase I and Phase II of Seabourn Cove — the city's nationally recognized green residential development.

As part of the Art in Public Places program, developers are required to set aside 1 percent of their construction budget to fund public art.

One of Seabourn Cove's development partners, Rick Lococo, said he was happy fund a project that pushes environmental awareness.

"We're turning a blighted area into an educational area," he said. "It's truly a lush project and creates a nice friendly atmosphere."

aanthony@sunsentinel.com or 561-243-6648 or @attiyya_sun

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