Center Activities

The center offers classes for all ages. First class is free! Check out the center's activities and try something new:

Activities for all ages:

Class Schedules

Event Calendar

Youth & Teen Programs

Our Youth & Teen Programs provide out of school opportunities for participants in Kindergarten through 8th grade to play, learn, and explore through interactive activities, field trips, and more! Check out our calendar of upcoming activities that you can register for:

Register for Teen Activities

School's Out Days

Seasonal Camps

Childcare

Ongoing Teen Activities:

Activity	Day	Time	Details
Before & After School Program	Monday - Friday	7:00 AM - 9:20 AM & 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM	Must be enrolled in the program to participate. Click here to learn more.
Academic Tutoring/Homework Help	Monday - Friday Monday - Thursday	7:00 AM - 9:00 AM 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM	Homework assistance and resources available for use. Teens will check in with Education Specialist routinely. Must be enrolled in the Before & After School Program to participate. Click here to learn more.
Teen Council Meeting	Every first & third Monday twice a month	4:30 PM	Want to be involved in picking our events and activities? Join us in the Teen Room Tuesday mornings. Meetings will be held in the Teen Room after school to discuss news and events.
TASCO Sports League Practice	Wednesdays	5:30 PM - 6:30 PM	SPorts practice will be held in the gym.
Buddy Up	Every Tuesday & Thursday	4:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Note: On School’s Out Days, breakfast and lunch are NOT provided. Please pack an unrefrigerated lunch or register for a lunch option if available. Snack is provided during the school year. Breakfast and lunch are provided during Summer Camp.

About the Center

J.W. Cate Recreation Center is a 20,447 sq. ft. facility funded with Penny for Pinellas dollars. The building has a competition size high school style gym, four program rooms and a large multipurpose room, which can be divided into three smaller meeting rooms. Other features include offices, youth lockers, public restrooms and a full-size kitchen. The program rooms are divided among teen activities, art programs, before and after school programs and a variety of classes taught by professionals in their field.

You may not know that the center houses the art of Ray King. The international glass artist's work, "Skywalk," was selected from over 160 proposals for public art by the City of St. Petersburg Public Arts Commission through the Percent for the Arts program. They are visible from the main hall of the building as well as from the street. Six 20 ft. long dichroic glass arcs curve through the space of the ceiling clerestory/lanterns in the entrance and hallway of the building. The arcs reflect and project light and color in the corridor, floor, walls and into some rooms. Each piece of the glass reflects a color and its complementary color depending on the angle of the sun. Hundreds of glass cylinder "jewels," laminated in dichroic film, are inset into the dark floor tile below the arcs. They reflect light and project color recreating the sensation of walking on light. "Skywalk" is designed to take advantage of the light entering the building.

History of the Center

The Northwest Youth Center, as it was originally named on May 23, 1957 by city council, officially opened in September 1957. On June 19, 2007, Northwest Recreation Center was dedicated to the memory of a long time City Council Member, respected community leader and clergyman, Rev. J.W. Cate, Jr., who served the city of St. Petersburg from 1971 to 1991 as council member of District 1 and was once called the Dean of City Hall and the conscience of City Council. He also championed many community causes and was senior pastor of nearby Palm Lake Christian Church from 1966 until his retirement in 1999.