Isle of Palms Spring 2016

he Isle of Palms RecReatIon

Center is more than just a dog- and

kid-friendly venue where local resi-

dents and visitors of all ages can go

to learn, play and compete. In the

eyes of longtime Recreation Director

Norma Jean Page, it’s the heart of the

island and the center of its social

universe.

“It’s a comfortable, easy, convenient place where

people can come. The island folks appreciate it and they

utilize it,” said Page, who has been at her current job

since October 1997.

When Page arrived on the island, the Recreation Center

consisted of little more than a dingy gymnasium. In fact,

because the facilities were so sparse, she seriously consid-

ered turning down the job offered to her by city officials.

However, after learning that a master plan was in the

works for IOP’s Recreation Department, she was con-

vinced that relocating from North Myrtle Beach to the Isle

of Palms would be “a good challenge.”

Today, the centerpiece of IOP’s seven-acre recreation

complex on 28th Avenue is a multipurpose building com-

pleted in December 2004, “on time and under budget.”

It includes meeting and activity rooms where kids, teens,

adults and seniors take part in activities such as yoga,

By Brian Sherman

The IOP RecReaTIOn cenTeR

The

Heart

of the

Island

Photo by Brian Sherman.