The Verne Cox Multipurpose Recreation Center is a recreation center located in Pasadena, Texas which provides recreational programs, events, and services for Pasadena’s youth and adults with cognitive or physical disabilities. The Verne Cox Center is a division of the Parks & Recreation Department of the City of Pasadena.The 15000sqft facility is fully accessible with a gymnasium, weight room, kitchen, two multipurpose activity rooms, bathrooms with showers and lockers, a swimming pool, and two wheelchair accessible softball fields. Facilities are specially designed for people with disabilities, and also, when appropriate, for people without disabilities. People can also socialize at the Center.HistoryThis facility has been in operation since 1988 funded by CDBG funds and funds committed by the City of Pasadena. Programs first began at the Sherwood Recreation Center in the 1970s by citizens with family members with disabilities. In 1978 the facility was rebuilt and renamed the Verne Cox Center, after a City Councilman, with the creation of the Therapeutics Division of the Parks and Recreation Department. When the current facility was built at 5200 Burke Rd in South Pasadena on the North-Western corner of the intersection of Burke Rd and Genoa-Red Bluff Rd.The Verne Cox Multipurpose Recreation Center is home to the historic Texas International Shootout Wheelchair Basketball Tournament and has hosted the National Wheelchair Softball Tournament, National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, as well as United States Quad Rugby Association regional qualification tournaments and many Special Olympics individual sports competitions. The Texas International Shootout has hosted over 60 teams from around the world from countries such as Japan, Scotland, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Canada.
