Airways Pool and Coffee Shop

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Nothing struck fear into a young boy like the high dive tower at Blakely's. Or perhaps you preferred the water slide at Maple Plunge. But to a young man, Lake Millerton or Lost Lake was the destination. Remember the ice rink in Pinedale? Post your favorite Summer Activity here.
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Lost Fresno
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Airways Pool and Coffee Shop

Post by Lost Fresno » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:50 am

Where was the large public pool that had the great water slides and the various towers to jump from? It was near the Fresno Airport (I think) and was there in the early 70's. Also, remember getting a free "Hot Wheel" with every fill-up at the Regal gas stations? I lived near Roosevelt H.S., I remember the old fruit packing houses on Tulare and First st. and the old pit left over from the old trolley barn located next to the packing houses. Oh, how about "Fresno Hobby" on Tulare ave., we used to love to hang around there on a Saturday watching the older kids race on the slot car track (As 10 year olds, we couldn't always afford the hourly fee).

Lost Fresno
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Post by Lost Fresno » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:53 am

The pool near the airport was/is AIRWAYS--doesn't it still exist? Man oh Man, spent many a summer day there. It used to have a cool high dive, a "low dive" and a slide, but when I was last there, maybe 5 years ago, the high dive was gone. Insurance and law suits have made us such wimps. (I remember bouncing to stay above water at the 3 foot end, that's how long ago I remember going there)

The cool pool with the slides WAS Blakely's. Never actually got to swim there, but remember going with my mom to pick up my big brother there. They had a TWO-LANE GIANT wooden water slide. Imagine. Races. Etc. My bro says there were (comparatively speaking) 'no rules"- remember Airways was/is on a military base. If you had long hair you had to wear a cap. You know, like a girl, very hard for a young boy. The only other public pool I remember (has it already been mentioned?) was Wonderland over on Blackstone which was near Whitefront I think? It was known as being 'dirtier' i.e. you might have a hair in your mouth after risking the high-dive which would never happen in the more rigid world of Airways.

Lost Fresno
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Post by Lost Fresno » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:26 am

Airways slides and diving boards: Airways had a "high-dive" and a low dive at one end of the pool. There was also a slide near the middle of the rectangle (east side). This slide probably wasn't more impressive than those some people have in their home pools, but you still couldn't go belly first. I'm not sure how allied they were with the military base around them, but this was the pool for rules, bathing caps for kids with long hair,and strict life-guards. My brother and friends and I spent many summer afternoons there. I never actually swam at Blakelies, but I remember seeing the impressive dual lane wooden water slide and have been told you could et away with all kinds of insane things on there. I went back to airways a few years ago and the high dive was gone and so was the slide (insurance? bummer.)

Lost Fresno
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Airways Pool and Coffee Shop

Post by Lost Fresno » Sat May 16, 2015 2:31 pm

When I was in elementary school my Mother decided to go back to work and earn some extra money for the family. She found a job as a waitress at the Airways Coffee Shop on Sundays. My father and I would make the drive to have pancakes. Later, when I was older, I remember going to the swimming pool as well. If you have memories of Airways, please add then here. Many of us loved Airways if you lived in North Fresno.
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flwbdw
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Re: Airways Pool and Coffee Shop

Post by flwbdw » Sun May 17, 2015 7:09 pm

Yes,Airways was a great pool. I remember the grass area to the left as you entered where the kiddie pool was located. You had to wear proper swim wear. No cutoffs or beachers (pedal pushers for guys) and the girls had to wear swim caps. I remember the price of admission was 15 cents, cheap compared to other pools in Fresno. What better town to have a nice public pool in the hot summer town of Fresno.

Jibbajaba
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Re: Airways Pool and Coffee Shop

Post by Jibbajaba » Sat Apr 30, 2016 5:32 pm

My grandma used to take me out to the Airways pool, which was crazy because she lived right near Bullard High and I only lived a little bit south of her (near Powers Elementary.) So that was a haul to get out there. I think she liked it because she could just sit outside all day reading a book and drinking a soda while I swam. I don't really remember much of anything about the place because I was pretty young at the time...

Fraulein63
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Re: Airways Pool and Coffee Shop

Post by Fraulein63 » Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:06 pm

I loved to go to Airways. I don't remember the slide though. I would get a friend and my mom or the other mom would drive us and drop us off. I remember the grassy area to the left of the pool where moms and little kids would hang out. There was a snack bar to the right of the pool and I usually didn't have money for a treat-when I did it felt very special.

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