One of the newest recreation centers is Big Cypress Recreation Center, which is located next to Evans Prairie Country Club on Hendry Drive just south of Pinellas Place.
The outside of the center is a relaxing pastel green color with beautiful white wood trim. Big Cypress is designed to serve Villagers living in the villages of Pinellas, Collier, and Hillsborough.
Inside the Center
The inside of the Big Cypress Recreation Center is decorated in what designer Tracy Matthews admits is a bit of a “girly” color scheme. She emphasized a palate of greens and pinks in each of the rooms inside the center. She has placed a huge number of decorations all around the facility. Her favorite piece in the building is a large cluster of circular mirrors hanging on one of the walls.
Matthews said that her goal for the recreation center was to give it a “light, and airy, and crisp” feel that would mix old-fashioned fixtures with contemporary artwork. She compares the design to “a cool drink of lemonade.”
This video will give you a sneak peek:
Family Pool
Probably the biggest outside attraction of the Big Cypress Recreation Center is the family pool. This is a great place for Villagers to bring their visiting grandchildren for family fun in the sun. Director of Recreation John Rohan says he expects the pool to be hosting Camp Villages events as soon as next summer. These are events geared towards the grandchildren of The Villages residents.
Picnic Pavilion
Big Cypress Recreation Center also features an absolutely stunning picnic pavilion. The pavilion is big enough for any type of large gathering between Villagers. Many neighborhood picnics are expected to be held here. The pavilion will also serve as an elegant outdoor meeting place for many of the local clubs.
Outdoor Games
In addition to the family pool and picnic pavilion, the Big Cypress Recreation Center also features a number of outdoor game courts. Villagers and their guests can participate in shuffleboard, bocce, corn toss, tennis, and pickle ball. Molly is the Recreation Supervisor at Big Cypress and is in charge of programming all of the events at the Recreation Center. She invites anyone who is interested in learning any of the games to stop in and ask for a free lesson.
Between the light and airy design, the large family pool, the beautiful picnic pavilion, and the brand new gaming courts, Big Cypress Recreation Center literally has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a relaxing game of shuffleboard with friends, a fun day of swimming with grandchildren, or a neighborhood picnic, you can find it here at Big Cypress!
Images courtesy of Gary Schick
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