BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Boca families on winter break have a new, simple outdoor activity to enjoy together at the Boca Raton waterfront as Wildflower Park recently got some love.
The City of Boca Raton has unveiled its Centennial Legacy Art Installations at Wildflower Park, a set of permanent public artworks meant to close out the city’s 100th anniversary with something that sticks around. The park installations transform different areas into an artistic playground which includes central pavilion mosaics and the return of Mi Casa Your Casa 2.0 swings painted in Centennial colors and a renovated splash pad and fresh artwork on the Palmetto Park Bridge columns at the underpass location.
The entire experience exists to be experienced through walking instead of being observed from afar. The Intracoastal Waterway borders Wildflower Park which the city uses to create a vibrant atmosphere through its use of coastal elements and colorful installations that encourage visitors to rest and socialize.
The Wildflower Park Centennial Legacy Mosaics by Boca Raton-based artist Laura Tanner serve as the main visual focus of the installation. The city features four exterior mosaics which use ceramic tile and vitreous glass to present four separate chapters about Boca Raton's historical development starting from its agricultural beginnings through its coastal existence and traditional community practices and its natural environment. Fabrication was handled by Artaic using mosaic technology, per the city.
The pavilion's exterior walls become its main attraction through the mosaics which cover its entire surface. It reads like a public history wall, but in fragments and symbols rather than plaques. You don’t have to “get” every reference to enjoy it. You need to stay in place while the storm passes through before you continue your journey.
Tanner also designed the art component of the upgraded splash pad, which the city describes as a geometric, sunrise-inspired design created in stained epoxy. The city has titled this artwork "Sunrise at South Beach Park" because it works to bring back the Boca Raton coastline during sunrise hours while keeping its function as an entertainment space for children to escape hot temperatures.
The Mi Casa Your Casa 2.0 swings have returned as permanent installations according to the city. The swing structures have house-shaped designs which serve to promote social interaction through play and conversation. They’re presented through Public Art Boca in partnership with Creos, and the swings now come in Boca Raton’s four Centennial colors with LED lighting, according to the city.
The underpass stands as one of the structures. The Palmetto Park Bridge columns have been transformed into a “gateway” with murals by artist Nadia Serenyi. The city bases its description on fundamental elements which include land and water and movement and light while seeking to transform the underpass into a park-like space. The work is titled “A Sense of Place,” the city said.
The overall project is presented through the city’s Public Art Boca program, in partnership with Creos and Palm Beach County, according to the city.
The system provides families with easy access to useful solutions which bring them convenience. The park functions as a short afternoon destination which allows visitors to explore the Intracoastal waterfront and view the mosaics and play on the swings before finishing their visit. You can choose to stay at the park while children play outside while you take your time to observe all the attractions.
The city is directing residents to Public Art Boca for more information about the public art program and to the city’s Centennial site for broader Centennial content.
SOURCES: City of Boca Raton — Centennial Legacy Art Installations at Wildflower Park, Public Art Boca (City of Boca Raton), Boca Raton Centennial (Boca100)
