- April 26, 2024
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The Palm Coast City Council and staff, and County Commissioner Andy Dance cut the ribbon for the center's grand opening. Courtesy of Palm Coast
Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Southern Recreation Center built 12 pickleball courts, including six covered courts. Photo by Sierra Williams
Co-owners of Redefined Food Company Jodee Soltes (right) and her son Joey Soltes, with his fiancé Theresa Kopsky and their two children, Cohen, 5, and Roman. Photo by Sierra Williams
Co-owner of Redefined Foods Company Jodee Soltes pours samples of the restaurant's hand-made juices. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Southern Recreation Center's lobby area. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center added 12 new pickleball courts. Brandon Fuentes, Sean Hernandez, Michael Carbone and Daryl Noble were among the first to play on the new courts. Photo by Sierra Williams
A large crowd attended Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center's grand opening ceremony, despite the rain. Photo by Sierra Williams
A large crowd attended Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center's grand opening ceremony, despite the rain. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Southern Recreation Center has multiple outdoor patio and balcony areas. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Southern Recreation Center's lobby area, from the second floor. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Southern Recreation Center's locker room. Photo by Sierra Williams
Among the new Lehigh Trailhead additions, a community garden is included. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center multi-use room. Photo by Sierra Williams
Among the new Lehigh Trailhead additions, a community garden is included. Photo by Sierra Williams
A large crowd attended Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center's grand opening ceremony, despite the rain. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast's new Southern Recreation Center, a 11,500-square-foot facility, is officially open for residents.
The Center, located at 1290 Belle Terre Parkway on the corner of Belle Terre Royal Palms Parkway, is an expansion to the city's tennis center, adding 12 pickleball courts, including six covered courts. The facility itself has locker rooms, event spaces, lobby space, exterior patios and balconies and, beginning March 3, concession services with the restaurant Redefined Food Company, a city press release said.
The city will soon also add five new HydroGrid clay tennis courts, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said during the grand opening ceremony on Feb. 23. One court will be a premium stadium court for tournament play.
"But the most important component of this 63-acre facility," Alfin said, "is that your City Council authorized construction without spending one single penny of your tax dollars."
The Southern Recreation Center and Lehigh Trailhead projects, which cost over $10 million to build, received $739,000 in grant funding from Flagler County's Tourist Development Council for the facility, and $1.2 million from the Florida Department of Transportation for the trailhead.
The project was also funded through the State Road 100 Redevelopment Agency and park impact fees, Alfin said.
The new Lehigh Trailhead includes an ADA-compliant, paved parking lot with over 70 new spaces, a restroom building, community gardens with six ADA plots and 12 standard plots, a large and small dog park, and enhanced lighting, utilities, pavilions, benches, and sidewalks, the press release said.
"The grand opening of the Southern Recreation Center and new Lehigh Trailhead signifies a significant achievement for our community," Alfin said. "These facilities will not only enhance the quality of life for our residents but also promote health, wellness, and outdoor recreation opportunities for all."
Despite the rain that began during the ceremony, Palm Coast residents packed the facility's parking spaces to experience the new center and trailhead. So much so that Redefined Foods quickly ran out of the food samples it brought to the event.
Co-founder Jodee Soltes said the experience at the grand opening was amazing.
"This place is so beautiful," Soltes said. "We're really looking forward to being a part of this healthy environment because that's what our food is, health based."
Soltes owns Redefined Foods with her son, Joey. While the menu at the facility will offer some not-so healthy foods — like Redefined's gourmet grilled cheese menu — Soltes said everything on their menu is hand made.
Parks and Recreation Director James Hirst said it was great to see the turnout for the grand opening ceremony. If there's one thing residents should know about the new center, he said, it's that you don't have to be a member to use it.
"I think there's a misperception that you need to be a member or a pass holder to come," Hirst said. "... It's a community [space] open to the public."
There is a charge to use some of the amenities — like the pickleball or tennis courts — but others at the Southern Recreation Center are free, he said. Residents can still come to the center to enjoy Redefined Foods, walk the trail, enjoy the community gardens and dog parks or even take parts in city-planned programs.
Parks and Recreation is also planning on expanding some of the programs that will be held at the facility, he said. The Parks and Recreation website, parkandrec.fun, will list all the available programs.
"Ultimately we're providing for the citizens of Palm Coast and anyone that comes," Hirst said. "So we're excited to showcase the facility."
