In the early 1950s, the building at 401 Westward Drive served as the Miami Springs Recreation Center—a bustling community hub for everything from teen dances and classes to club meetings and even a voting precinct. Locals fondly remember summer days spent on its unique stilts and playing tetherball. In 1952, tennis and shuffleboard courts were added to further energize the space. Then, in 1955, after a new pool and gym opened farther west, the building transformed into the Miami Springs Library. Basketball games were a common sight on the courts behind the building into the 1960s, until those courts were replaced with additional tennis and a racquetball court. In 1965, the library officially became part of the Dade County Library System, cementing its role as a cherished community landmark.