Boca Life

Boca Raton To Replace Memorial Park Plaque Placed by Former Mayor, Council

by
Daniel Nee
April 16, 2026

A plaque placed by the outgoing city council in 2026, ordered removed by the newly-elected council members the following week. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

A plaque in front of city hall recognizing nearby Memorial Park, placed in the waning days of the administration of Mayor Scott Singer, will be replaced with a revised version with new language decided upon by the current mayor and council this week.

The emplacement of the plaque almost instantly created a stir – and some outrage – among residents due to its timing, just weeks after voters overwhelmingly rejected plans supported by some former officials to convey 7.8 acres of city-owned land to a private developer. Initial plans called for about 30 acres – including the park – to be marked for redevelopment before a grassroots effort led by the Save Boca organization pushed for a ballot referendum on the plan. The presence of the names of Singer and the previous city council members drew criticism on its own, since residents concerns about the park’s status as a tribute to veterans was disputed by elected officials who said it was never formally dedicated. Since then, resolutions from a 1947 city council meeting and newspaper articles from the era have surfaced, indicating the park was dedicated to local residents who fought in World War II.

“Without you, we wouldn’t be here today dedicating this park,” Councilman Jon Pearlman, the Save Boca founder who won a seat on the council, told supporters at a meeting this week. “It would have been handed over to developers, wiped out, with condos and high rises all around.”

Memorial Park, Boca Raton, FL, April 2026. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

The new mayor and council voted unanimously to remove the plaque and re-dedicate the park in a public ceremony which will be planned for a future date and heavily advertised to draw public participation. The residual anger spilled over into Tuesday night’s council meeting.

“I’d like to see the plaque removed, melted down, and the proceeds put in a fund that would generate dividends, with the money coming from it being used to donate to the opponents of any of the people who voted to destroy Memorial Park, should they run for any office again,” said resident Richard Warner. “We shouldn’t forget who they are.”

The new governing body reached a consensus that the new sign should include dedications to World War II veterans, the 1947 council members who originally created the park, and residents in 2026 who saved it from potential development. The replacement plaque will include a list of the 1947 city council members. Its text will read:

Dedicated by the Town Council of the Town of Boca Raton on April 28, 1947.
For generations, Memorial Park has served as a place o f community life, gathering, and shared experience within the City of Boca Raton.
Established in the period following World War II, Memorial Park reflects a broader tradition of public spaces serving as places of remembrance for those who served and sacrificed, including members of the United States Armed Forces and those connected to the Boca Raton community.
For many residents, Memorial Park has come to hold special significance as a place associated with remembrance, public service, and shared community history.
This recognition also honors the residents o f Boca Raton whose sustained civic advocacy and community engagement throughout 2025 and 2026 contributed to a renewed community-wide focus on the preservation and future of Memorial Park, and its significance.

Pearlman suggested abbreviated language with the intent of enticing more people to stop and read it, however the council as a whole favored the version that was proposed following a work session meeting on Monday. Residents who spoke on the subject agreed that the current plaque should come down.

A plaque placed by the outgoing city council in 2026, ordered removed by the newly-elected council members the following week. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

“We need to replace that plaque,” said resident Vivian Lescher. “I can’t even believe that anybody had the chutzpah to put their names on it when they were the ones trying to build condos on that park. What nerve!”

Councilwoman Yvette Drucker, the sole remaining supporter of the rejected downtown plan that serves on the council, took issue with Lescher’s statement.

“The council members never saw the plaque. We never took a vote on the plaque,” said Drucker. “You’re not going to say things that I haven’t said or done. That’s not okay.”

Jonathan Ungeon, a frequent speaker at council meetings, said he opposed the downtown development plans as well, but cautioned against singling out former elected officials.

Memorial Park, Boca Raton, FL, April 2026. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

“I just think it’s really wrong to dance on the graves of our politicians who did serve the city for a long time,” he said. “You may disagree. None of it is necessarily right. But we need to move forward and put the past behind us.”

City Manager Mark Sohaney said the language of the new plaque was produced by city staff after hearing the direction by council members with input from local veterans’ organizations.