$3 Million renovation of existing football field marks Orange Bowl’s first Legacy Gift in Palm Beach County
The Orange Bowl Committee and Palm Beach County will announce the opening of Orange Bowl Field at Glades Pioneer Park in Belle Glade, Fla. The opening celebration, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Wednesday, December 19 at 4:00 p.m. Attendees at the free opening celebration will enjoy activities for the entire family including, kids’ games, bounce houses, food and drinks and much more.
The $3 million renovation of the existing football field at Glades Pioneer Park is the Orange Bowl’s fifth Legacy Gift to the South Florida community and first in Palm Beach County. Renovations include a synthetic turf field and maintenance, an electronic scoreboard, an entry monument, fencing, walkways and signage. The renovation of Glades Pioneer Park furthers the Orange Bowl’s commitment to inspire youth and engage and enhance the South Florida community.
“The Orange Bowl is honored to gift this incredible renovated football stadium and field to the city of Belle Glade and Palm Beach County,” said Palm Beach County native and President and Chair of the Orange Bowl Committee, Sean Pittman. “The city of Belle Glade and Palm Beach County have an illustrious history of great football and some of the most outstanding athletic talent has come from this great community. This state-of-the-art stadium and park renovation will provide this deserving area of South Florida a place where local youth and football legends alike can call home for years to come.”
The Orange Bowl first unveiled the Legacy Gift initiative in 2008-09 in honor of the organization’s 75th anniversary, which also coincided with the hosting of the 2009 BCS National Championship.
With the completion of Orange Bowl Field at Glades Pioneer Park in the city of Belle Glade, Orange Bowl Legacy Gift projects combined will have provided nearly $16 million worth of improvements toward the beautification of the South Florida community and recreational park activities for residents and their families. These include, Moore Park in the city of Miami (completed in 2011), Carter Park in the city of Fort Lauderdale (completed in 2013), Ives Estates Park in Miami-Dade County (completed in 2015) and Harris Field Park in the city of Homestead (completed in 2017).
“We’re very grateful the Orange Bowl Committee selected Palm Beach County and Glades Pioneer Park as the 2018 Orange Bowl Legacy Gift recipient,” said Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay. “The new Orange Bowl Field allows for greater recreation opportunities and enhances the sense of community for the Glades. We are so excited to be cutting this ribbon!”
Orange Bowl Field at Glades Pioneer Park serves as the playing site for several teams from the Glades Youth Football League, which is a current member of the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance (OBYFA) presented by Metro by T-Mobile. In addition, many current and former NFL players from the area have used the field to conduct youth football camps.
The Orange Bowl has invested more than $7 million in South Florida Youth Sports Programs over the last 10 years. Now in its 20th year, the OBYFA presented by Metro by T-Mobile benefits approximately 13,000 youth football players and cheerleaders in eight leagues reaching from Lake Okeechobee to Key West.
Legacy Gifts are one of the four pillars of Orange Bowl Community Outreach, which also includes fundraising and community events, academic programs and scholarships, and youth sports. For nearly 85 years, the Orange Bowl has been one of South Florida’s leading civic organizations, promoting championship sporting events, related premier entertainment and other year-round activities to inspire youth, engage our community and enhance the South Florida economy.
