North Fort Myers Recreation Center celebrates 10 years
A decade ago, North Fort Myers got a place of its own for community meetings, summer camp, sports and all sorts of classes.
The North Fort Myers Recreation Center has proven to be all that and more: Its opening proved to game changer for the entire area.
Residents and dignitaries got together in the gym earlier this month to celebrate the Lee County center’s 10th anniversary with decorations and a birthday cake.
County commissioners spoke about what a tremendous success the facility has been, which along with the new library that was built a few years ago, has become the go-to place for people to come for everything from hurricane seminars to card games. It has even been an emergency shelter for hurricanes.
Commissioner Brian Hamman, who attended the grand opening just before being appointed county commissioner in 2013, said it was a great day for the area and a tremendous milestone.
“This facility has provided 10 years of great service to the community. This has really become a hub where the community comes for town halls, election debates, and for wonderful recreation and activities,” Hamman said. “It’s become part of the fabric of the community.”
Also speaking were commissioners Mike Greenwell and Cecil Pendergrass, as well as Lee County Parks & Rec director Mack Young.
Green well said the rec center is an example of what a great facility should be, hoping that when they get it improvements on the civic center grounds it can be used as a template.
“It’s great to come out and realize we have these wonderful facilities. This anniversary gives us the opportunity to remind people this facility is here and what a great job the county does providing these places for the youth and community in general,” Greenwell said.
Steve Cox, supervisor at the rec center, said the facility has provided lot of recreational experiences for the entire community.
“This is the place for people to come and gather and play, and everyone can afford to come and have recreation in various ways,” Cox said.
Former County Commissioner Tammy Hall and North Fort Myers Civic Association President Gregg Makepeace championed the new rec center for years, which had been in several smaller locations at the community park since it opened in 1997.
The 33,000-square-foot facility was completed and opened on Oct. 25, 2013 to great fanfare. The center has multipurpose rooms for meetings, youth and adult recreational and educational programs, a fitness center, game room and a gymnasium. The gymnasium has multipurpose basketball and volleyball courts built to traveling-tournament standards.
The North Fort Myers Recreation Center is one of four large rec centers in the county’s parks department. Participating in most programs at the center requires a one-time, lifetime membership of $10 per individual or $25 per family.
The recreation center is at 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, adjacent to the North Fort Myers Public Library just off Business U.S. 41 north of Bayshore Road.
For more information, visit leegov.com or leeparks.org.