Robert L. Taylor Center Opening Delights Community

As hundreds of people explored the new Robert L. Taylor Center on Friday morning, those who have been in the area long enough know what it means to the community.

Sarasota city commissioner Willie Shaw has seen the transformation of the location from a USO outpost during his youth to the state-of-the-art rec center it is today.

That transformation, he said, would not be possible without the man the building is named after, Robert Taylor. Nearly 45 years ago, the USO was torn down and replaced with a rec center.

“Mr. Taylor for many years was more than just a manger and director of the center,” Shaw said. “He pulled double duty to provide us as our lifeguard and coach. Mr. Taylor was always there for us.”

The new facility has created not only a huge sense of pride for the community, but also for the Taylor family. Taylor’s daughter, Shirley Shaw, said she couldn’t be more proud of her father because she knows all the hard work he put in to the old facility.

“He really developed the whole Newtown program; he trained a lot of people,” she said. “He taught swimming, he taught tennis. Probably all of the adults here over 50, he coached or taught them.”

The facility will be open free to the public this Saturday and Sunday for an open house. The facility includes an indoor and outdoor basketball court, sand volleyball court, computer lab, dance studio, auditorium, weights and a large outdoor playground.

“Congratulations to all of you who had a part in making this amazing facility come to fruition,” Mayor Suzanne Atwell said. “This is all about community.”

Commissioner Shaw said the community is seeing a change in north Sarasota.

The city hopes that the center will not only be utilized by people from the nearby community but also attract people from across the region. Shirley Shaw said she thinks the center will be a success because the city followed through on its promise to residents in Newtown and north Sarasota.

“I’m glad that Sarasota followed through for our community,” she said. “Because a lot of the time in the past, they would say something and not do it. This [facility] shows that they followed through and lived up to their promises.”

“It is a true treasure to know that this is our Robert Taylor complex,” Commissioner Shaw said. “It is beyond the imagination of most. It is ours to cherish [today] and in the days yet to come.”