New Tampa Rec Center Opens To Raves

NEW TAMPA - For the past four years, Julie Illes has driven her daughter, Autumn, an hour each way, four days a week, from New Tampa to Oldsmar for gymnastics practice.

Beginning June 9, their trek will be considerably shorter - a 10-minute drive to the new New Tampa Recreation Center.

The Tampa Parks and Recreation Department officially opened the 19,568-square-foot, $3.7 million facility this morning, with more than 400 guests joining city officials for the celebration.

Beginning outdoors with a brief introduction ceremony, the opening moved inside the center at 17302 Commerce Park Blvd.

Guests were given tours of the center, including the gymnasium and dance, class and meeting rooms. Inside the 12,000-square-foot gym, there are two regulation-sized tumbling mats, 12 balance beams, three vaulting stations and four sets of uneven parallel bars.

As about 100 young gymnasts from the Wayne C. Papy Athletic Center in Seminole Heights demonstrated various gymnastics moves, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio watched and chatted with recreation department officials.

Iorio, who gave a brief introductory speech, said the new center was "definitely a need" in the growing New Tampa area. About 400 area residents have expressed interest in signing up for programs, she said.

"That really shows the need," she said, standing just outside the new gymnastics room. "This means residents here have a place to go that's in their own backyards, where they can have fun as a family and learn new skills."

After guiding the mayor on a tour, Heather Wolf-Erickson, area manager for Tampa Parks and Recreation, said: "There are some very instrumental programs here. ... We work with children, and it's not all about just teaching them a trick; it's teaching them about confidence and being able to say, 'I can do this.'"

As Wolf-Erickson spoke with Illes, Autumn headed into the gymnasium. The 10-year-old said the "pits" - the area where gymnasts can safely dismount or land if they fall - were "really great" and an improvement over her current gym.

"They have [balance] beams here, too. There's a lot of nice equipment. I'm excited about this place," she said and scurried off to the gymnastics mat.

Registration for gymnastics and dance classes will be held at the recreation center from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

For information or registration forms, call (813) 231-5272 or visit www.tampagov.net/dept_gym_and_dance