Community Center open house is Oct. 1

After 110,000 man hours and three years of planning, the new 38,000 square-foot state-of-the-art Winter Park community center made its debut on Friday morning.

About 200 people gathered at 721 W. New England Ave. to get a first look at the city’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building.

“This is the best facility we have ever built,” said Bryan Boykin, manager of Turner Construction Company in Central and North Florida.

The new center will feature after-school programs, youth summer programs, holiday programs and other programs targeted toward specific facets of the Winter Park population. It will also be the home of the new NRG-Dance Studios LLC, which will have its grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. during the center’s interactive open house.

Among the largest in facilities in Winter Park, the new center takes the place of a previous, smaller and more old-fashioned community center.

The new center was designed to be more energy efficient, conserve water and have improved air quality. The Parks and Recreation Department of Winter Park will oversee all programming.

“It is a tremendous improvement in space, meeting the multiple needs of our overall community,” Mayor Ken Bradley said.

The new community center features four rental rooms, a resort-style pool with lap lanes, a beach-style entrance and a spray play recreation area, a full-sized gymnasium with a basketball and volleyball court and spectator seating, a computer lab and library, a fitness center with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a game room and a community garden.

The main goal during construction, Boykin said, was to have the space be very open and flexible.

“We created it to feel like a community center versus just a big gym or building. We wanted it to feel like it is a part of the community,” Boykin said.

Healthy living

The Winter Park Community Center Interactive Open House is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at 721 W. New England Ave. Call 407-599-3334 for more information.

The Winter Park Health Foundation partnered with the city to build the new community center. The foundation provided a grant to fund programs and also plans to provide more healthy choices in vending machines and during catered events.

Patty Maddox, president and CEO of the Winter Park Health Foundation, said she is very excited about the new asset to the community. She said the foundation is interested in the opportunity to help educate people about deciding on a healthy life.

“I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations. It is a world-class facility,” said Hal George, chairman of the Community Redevelopment Advisory Board. “This is going to provide our residents with opportunities we have never been able to provide before.”