BOCA GRANDE COMMUNITY CENTER
Facility_info
Address Contact Information Other Information
131 First Street West / P.O. Box 429
Boca Grande, FL
33921
 Bob Green
(941) 964-2564
greenre@leegov.com

Programs
Aerial Picture
Centers Map
WiFi Coverage Area
Panoramic View
Directions Staff Events
Google Map/Directions Staff allocated to facility's budget Events Calendar
Hours
 Summer Hours (April 20, 2010 through October 31, 2010) Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Season Hours (November 1, 2010 through April 10, 2011) Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Information
 COMMUNITY CENTER
Building consist of 9 rooms plus five restrooms & three storage areas
1. Lee County Parks and Recreation Office (670 sf) - used by Lee County staff.
2. Friends of Boca Grande Community Center (185sf) - used by Friends staff.
3. Reference Room (1090 sf) - room for patrons to use reference materials and computers.
4. G.I.C.I.A. Room (670 sf) - offices for the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association staff.
5. Auditorium (2880sf) - used for plays, meetings and movies.
6. Woman's Club Room (1340 sf) - used for meetings and programs.
7. Munchkins Room (670 sf) - used for the youth educational program.
8. ADA Accessible Restrooms - there are two men's and two women's restroom that are ADA accessible.
9. Fitness Center (670 sf) - used as exercise room.
10. Multi-purpose Room (1232 sf) - used for youth programs.
11. Special Interest Room (319 sf) - used as a "Green" room for Royal Palm Players, small meetings and small fitness classes.

Also on the ground of the Community Center are the Island School, Teacherage House, Dishong-Bowen House and Crowninshield Community House. These facilites are leased to island organization who provide programs and activities for the community. In early 2006 the Teacherage and Dishong-Bowen Historic Houses were again open to the public after going through extensive renovation. The Teacherage House is home to the Boca Grande Historical Society and Boca Bargain (a thrift store operated by the Boca Grande Woman's Club). The Dishong-Bowen House is home to the Boca Grande Art Alliance. Accessibility: The amentities on the grounds are in compliance with the ADA. Restrooms, library, auditorium, offices, and meeting rooms.
History
 The Boca Grande Community Center is a Lee County facility operated for the benefit of Boca Grande residents and visitors. It was designed in 1929 and built by the citizens of Boca Grande as the island school. For 35 years the classrooms were filled with students ages 5-18. With declining enrollment, the school was closed in 1963 and the children were transported to schools in Charlotte County. In the early 70's, local citizens organized to convert the school into a Center for educational and cultural programs. In March of 1975, through the cooperative efforts of the Boca Grande Woman's Club, Gasparilla Island Conservation & Improvement Association and Lee County, the Boca Grande Community Center was officially dedicated. The Center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE COMMUNITY CENTER
In 1986 a group of islanders conceived the idea of creating a Reference Room at the Boca Grande Community Center. It was instituted as a place where school students could find reference material to do their homework and where adults could have access to reference materials. The founding committee for the Reference Room soon saw that there were additional projects that could supplement the activities of the Parks and Recreation Department at the Center. To finance these supplementary activities, Friends of Boca Grande Community Center was formed as a 501c-3 corporation with tax exemption. Contributions to the Friends have significantly improved the programs and facilities of the Center.