Isle of Palms Spring 2016

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gymnastics, line dancing, exercise classes and reading. The
renovated gym features a cardio room and a basketball
court that also hosts events such as the city’s annual Hal-
loween Carnival.
“We’ve dressed it up a lot. It didn’t look like this when I
got here,” Page said. “When I arrived, the gym wasn’t even
air conditioned. In the summer, the kids would go outside
to get cool.”
There’s at least as much to do outside as inside at the
recreation complex. A softball field also serves as a venue
for lacrosse and machine-pitch baseball, while a multipur-
pose field is used for soccer, volleyball and the city’s annual
Easter egg hunt. Batting cages complement the baseball
field, while the lighted tennis courts and basketball courts
are nearby. Closer to the main building are a large soccer
field, a picnic shelter and a playground, “one of the best in
Charleston County,” according to Page.
The center even has outdoor showers, where people
coming from the beach can rinse off.
Page added that when dogs on the island escape their
yards, they often end up at the ever-popular dog park,
built by Recreation Department staff with fencing left over
after the main building was completed. If possible, she’ll
return the wayward canines to their owners.
“If the dog has a tag with an address, I’ll take them
home,” she related.
Growing up in Clarkton, North Carolina, Page said she
always wanted to teach and coach, “from day one.” How-
ever, her career almost took off in a different direction. She
was unable to find employment after she graduated from
Pembroke State University, so she returned to school to
learn how to be a lab technician. She was offered two jobs
on the same day: one as a recreation director in Salisbury,
North Carolina, and the other as a hospital lab tech.
She chose the recreation job and later moved on to
Myrtle Beach as director of the community center and
coordinator of activities on the beach. Her next, and prob-
ably last, stop was the Isle of Palms.
Page was quick to point out that the Recreation Center
offers programs and activities for people of all ages, from
energetic pre-schoolers to enthusiastic senior citizens.
There’s soccer for 3- to 14-year-olds and baseball and
basketball for kids 5 to 14, as well as summer camps
that help youngsters hone their basketball, lacrosse and
volleyball skills. Adults, meanwhile, can participate in
basketball, tennis, soccer, softball, volleyball and table ten-
nis. An array of activities are offered for youngsters, from
art to tae kwon do to ballet, while adults can participate
The Isle of Palms Recreation Department holds an array of activities, including the sand sculpting competition during Piccolo Spoleto and the
IOP Beach Run. Right: Luke Armstrong is one of many local residents who participate in the city’s youth baseball program.
Photos courtesy of the Isle of Palms Recreation Department.