Recreation Center Renovations

The Franklin Square Recreation Center located on the North side of Apalachicola at the corner of 6th street and Avenue L has recently received a fresh coat of paint.

Earlier park improvements included resurfacing the tennis and basketball courts, constructing a large picnic pavilion, installing new playground equipment, drinking water fountains, a shuffleboard court and two handicapped parking areas.

The city received a $150,000 grant from the State of Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) to fund improvements to the park with the city pitching in $2,900 for the fresh coat of paint on both the exterior and interior of the building.

Built in 1963, the 46 year-old cylinder block structure, has served the Apalachicola African-American community as a center for social gatherings such as meetings, wedding receptions, dances, banquets, and recreational activities.

Over the past few years the park and building have found addition usage, both now serve as the site of the Annual African-American History Festival sponsored by H’COLA, and the city now utilizes the building to hold meetings.

When the building was constructed, E.W. Neate served as Mayor along with F.B. Mayson, R.J. Heyser, W.E. Schoelles, and Joe Taranto as city commissioners.

The new paint is slated to blend with the pending renovation of the Holy Family Catholic School adjacent to the park.