Blakeley's Pool with the Very High Diving Platform

~
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.
~
clovisjoey

Blakeley's Pool with the Very High Diving Platform

Post by clovisjoey » Sun May 16, 2010 9:07 pm

Blakleys was located at Blackstone and Princeton behind the old Lafayette elementary school.

andrew

Re: Blakeley's

Post by andrew » Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:51 pm

Hi all, I wanted to offer a comment on Blakeley's, where I went once with some friends from Hamilton Jr. High on the last day of 7th grade and had a time that I can still recall clearly enough to have shared it with my wife tonight. I am positive it was not near Blackstone, but instead out near Tulare. Does anyone else remember the high dive there? Last, does anyone who grew up in the Tower District recall hopping the fence to sneak into the pool at Fresno High?
Attachments
The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republic.jpg
Click to Enlarge / Fresno Bee - June 29, 1952

sjvalleydave
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 9:55 pm
Contact:

Re: Blakeley's

Post by sjvalleydave » Mon Mar 12, 2012 4:39 pm

There was an old race track near Blackstone and Bullard that was in the area where the pool was. Probably the same location. Blakely's was on East Tulare at Clovis Ave, where the Village Green apartments are/were. They had the 9 hole golf course there. It was sold a few years ago and the golf course was turned into a park area. Fancher Creek bordered the property.

FresnoNative
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:28 pm
Contact:

Re: Blakeley's

Post by FresnoNative » Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:35 pm

If anyone is still looking I just wanted to confirm that the Blackstone and Bullard (SE corner) was Lakeside. Learned to swim there when I was four and spent many happy days in the pool. We lived right down the street on Glenn. We also walked to Dominic's Liquor (now gone) which was right across the street, for candy. Loved that store! Wonderland was on Shaw just east of Blackstone and on the north side of the street. It was associated with the roller rink that was just north of Shaw and on Blackstone, not far from Blackstone Bowl (now moved to Sierra and Blackstone). Lots of good times there, too, and many hours spent at pinball.

Blakeley's was the swimming haunt of my teens. It was located on Tulare (south side) just west of Clovis Ave. They had The Tower - very high diving platform that terrorized many of us and sent many others back down without jumping, and the double slide (metal) that seemed like a huge thrill to us. Many happy days spent at these places and I was so happy to hear the account of Lakeside/Soupey's and that the Mrs. is still alive and active. What a blessing. Wonder if she realizes how many fun times they brought to this community? I sure hope so. If you know her, tell her Robynn says "Thank you and God Bless you!" :)

michael k

Re: Blakeley's

Post by michael k » Sat Feb 16, 2013 12:53 pm

I loved going to Blakeley's as a kid. Glad to see so many people still remember it! The high dives were great and the tower, terrifying! The double stainless slide was the best. You could even go head first on your back. Doubtful that we'll ever see days like that again when risk managers didn't yet rule the world. I vividly remember one July 20th, 1969 being at the pool with my friends, listening to Three Dog Night on the jukebox, when they announced over the loudspeaker that Apollo 11 had just landed on the moon. Big cheers from everyone. I was 13 at the time and it seems like yesterday. Ahhh, youth!
Attachments
The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republican_Fri__Jul_3__1964_.jpg
Fresno Bee July 3, 1964 - Click to Enlarge

flwbdw
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 3:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Blakeley's

Post by flwbdw » Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:55 pm

Oh yeah the slide at Blakeley's. They would let you take your air mattresses down it ,head first, and you could almost reach the other side of the pool. Did you ever get way back and vault up and land on your stomach head first? The first time I tired to dive off of the tower it ended up a belly flop. I was moaning so loud that the life guard fished me out. Was a regular there in the summers of 62, 63, 64 and 65. You could walk to the Wilshire gas station on the corner of Tulare and Clovis ave. and buy a pack of Marlboro's for 23 cents. Ah yes, youth, it is wasted on the young.

margied

Re: Blakeley's

Post by margied » Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:18 pm

Does anyone remember, did Blakeley's have a tile mosaic of a mermaid in the bottom of the pool? In the shallow end. Thanks.

opie
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 9:26 pm
Contact:

Re: Blakely's

Post by opie » Wed May 01, 2013 9:31 pm

Yes we are part of the Blakely family and wonder if anyone has any pictures of the Blakely swimming pool? If so, please e-mail me at opie73@comcast.net

Thank you.

Klassik57
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 2:53 pm
Contact:

Re: Blakeley's

Post by Klassik57 » Mon Sep 22, 2014 6:34 am

I have very fond memories of Blakeley's Pool. It was located at The Golden Tee Golf Course on Tulare St. almost to Clovis Ave. It was a huge pool that featured a good sized wading pool for toddlers, a slide, a trampoline, a low dive, high dive, and The Tower was the highest platform you could dive or jump off. The pool was 12 ft. deep at the deep end and I remember it hurt your ears to go down that far. I wish I could locate some pictures of the whole pool. It was quite spectacular!

Melody

Re: Blakeley's Pool with the Very High Diving Platform

Post by Melody » Mon Aug 24, 2015 11:35 pm

I just wanted to say I remember going to Blakeleys. I was young but know that tower well. Always worried for those who tried it. I remember the mini tramps you could use to launch father into the pool as if you were in the Olympics. My mom and her friend would pay for us to go in and wait in the shade outside the pool. I think we would get a stamp to go out and eat lunch they brought then come back in

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests