Winter Haven breaks ground on $21 million Recreation and Cultural Center in Florence Villa

City of Winter Haven officials broke ground on a new Winter Haven Recreation and Cultural Center in the Florence Villa neighborhood on a project city leaders said will cost about $21,000,000 and include a double gymnasium, fitness center, branch library and technology area, classrooms, an aquatics facility with a splash pad, playground and open fields.

"I am so extremely excited and proud to be here today to welcome you all to this amazing program," said Julie Adams, director of Parks, Recreation and Culture for the city of Winter Haven, at the event that brought elected officials, contractors and community members to the construction site on MLK Boulevard.

City Manager Michael Stavros said the project grew from a series of surveys and focus groups and a decision to replace the older, nearly 50-year-old facility rather than attempt limited renovations. "This is the precursor to what I hope is going to be an early Christmas gift for you, December 2025 when we get to come back here and cut a ribbon," Stavros said.

Mayor Nathaniel J. Birdsong Jr. called the day "a monumental day for the city of Winter Haven," and said the center is intended to serve residents of all ages. "The Winter Haven Recreational and Cultural Center isn't just a facility," Birdsong said. "It's a space designed to enrich lives, foster connections, and reflect the heart and soul of our city."

Rob Mafus, president of Collage Companies, which is the general contractor on the project, described the center as an investment in the community beyond the building itself. "We're not just building a facility. It's not just the sticks and the bricks. We're investing," Mafus said.

City officials said the decision to build new followed an evaluation of the existing structure's age and ADA shortfalls and broad public support for a new facility. "We recognized that we needed to do some modernization," Stavros told the audience, and the city pursued a complete rebuild after community input favored a new facility over piecemeal renovation.

Project partners and staff recognized at the ceremony included Tim Haft (architect), Collage Companies (general contractor), Whitehead Construction (local contractor partner), Carl Copeland (on-site project manager), Chris Kaye of Carter Kaye Engineering (engineer of record), and representatives of the Winter Haven Public Library and the Florence Villa CRA. City staff credited the Florence Villa Community Redevelopment Area for contributing budget resources to the project; specific budget breakdowns beyond the $21,000,000 total were not provided at the ceremony.

Officials emphasized preservation of the site's existing trees and landscape. Stavros said the project team worked to retain the historic landscape so the finished facility will open with substantial mature landscaping in place. The city also plans programs and business-support activities to operate from the new center in partnership with the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce.

No formal city commission vote or ordinance was recorded during the groundbreaking event; speakers referred to earlier commission decisions and planning steps without giving vote tallies or ordinance numbers. Construction has already begun on site, and city leaders said they expect to return for a ribbon-cutting in December 2025 if the schedule holds.

Photographs and a ceremonial shovel-turn followed the remarks, and organizers offered a public photo opportunity after the event.