It was a proud moment as ground was broken Thursday for the new $20 million Paradise Recreation Center.
District Government officials and the Amenity Authority Committee used ceremonial shovels for the ground breaking for the new recreation center on the Historic Side of The Villages.
In May, the Amenity Authority Committee awarded a $16.3 million contract for the construction of a new recreation center. The total cost of the project, which calls for the demolition of the recreation center and a total rebuild including the swimming pool, is $20 million, which also includes design services and engineering.
The rebuild will include a resort-style swimming pool, an expansion of the Mark Twain library space, a fire pit and six shuffleboard courts.