Cooper City, Florida

Cooper City does not have the swanky air of Manhattan or the garish nightlife of Las Vegas but it does revel in its own idyllic charm, encapsulated in its nickname Someplace Special. It offers several parks and recreation centers as well as an array of different activities.

One of the leading sports facilities in the city is Brian Piccolo Park along Sheridan Street. It has one of the best cricket grounds in the United States and even hosted the US-Canada cricket game in the 2004 ICC Intercontinental Cup. It also features a first-class skate park to accommodate in-line skaters, skate boarders, and BMX bicycle athletes. The park has several ramps and street courses and also offers in-line speed skating classes for various age groups and levels of expertise. Other facilities include basketball courts, biking/jogging paths, softball fields, football fields, tennis courts, racquetball courts, and a velodrome for cycling.

There are more than 20 city parks in Cooper City with open spaces, playgrounds, picnic areas, multipurpose rooms, pools, sports facilities, benches, and concession areas. Parks are usually open from sunup to sundown. The Cooper City Pool and Tennis Center is for the exclusive use of residents and requires various fees depending on the facilities which would be used. Tennis lessons for groups and individuals are also offered.

The local government, together with various sports clubs in the community, organizes various athletic and fitness activities for residents and guests of Cooper City although non-residents are usually charged with additional fees. Sports and exercise programs include mat pilates, yoga, aerobics, karate, running, walking, volleyball, swimming, stretching, and Latin dance. Summer sports camps are also organized for elementary and middle school kids.

In keeping with its image as a family-friendly town, Cooper City has a lot of wholesome activities which encourage family bonding such as Grandparents Day (for grandparents and their grandchildren), Mom and Son Night (for mothers and sons entering kindergarten through fifth grade), Family Game Nights, Summer Family Fun Nights, Marriage Vow Renewals, and Daddy Daughter Dinner Dance.

There are also garage sales, trick or treat and Halloween costume contests, a community book swap, lighting of the Memorial Park during Christmas, and a health and fitness day on the first week of New Year.

Various youth activities include Friday Night Teen Splash for fifth graders and coffee house night for high school students. There are also dinner dances and parties for older residents as well as classes on ceramics, painting, dance, a book club, cards, dominoes, and knitting.