"This community never had its own facility," said Rich Johnson, center manager. "It always had to borrow space in a school or be the guest of another rec council."
Smith already has coaches lined up for basketball this fall. He is organizing a Mommy and Me program for the preschool set and is looking into opportunities for seniors. He expects to draw as many as 500 children into all manner of center activities, he said.
"Our rec council has a vast drawing area," he said. "Our existing programs will keep growing and we won't have any trouble filling new ones."
For Mary Bolyard, who has seen her dance classes grow from 29 students in 2002 to 119 this year, the center means she can eliminate a waiting list, extend class hours and possibly double the number of students who want to learn jazz, tap and ballet.
"We have had phone calls galore since the center opened and we can handle it all in our new wonderful studio," she said.
At the center, she may be able to schedule summer, Saturday and late evening classes, she said. "There has been a real revival of interest in dance, which is great exercise for these kids," she said. "They like coming in and learning new steps."
For Smith, a lifelong Watersedge resident, who has coached for many years, the center will provide area children many outlets for their energies.
"This really is for the kids," he said. "They are what this is all about."
