The Northdale community of north Tampa is celebrating a new recreation center.

The new 10,000-square-foot space will host community activities. The new facility is at 15550 Spring Pine Drive in Tampa, right across the street from the Bob Sierra Family YMCA.

Many Northdale families use the park adjacent to the new facility but more indoor space was needed.

The new facility will have a teen and adult basketball league and pickleball courts. The center will feature a kitchen facility and will be available for community gatherings.

The rec center's gym is being named for a community member that was a driving force behind the project: Bill Castens with the Northdale OWLS, Older Wiser Lively Seniors.

"Whether you deserve that or not, I don't know. It's a done deal," Castens said at the event's dedication. "It's always been about Northdale for me."

The facility was built at a cost of $1.7 million through capital improvement funding.