Swim Park Memories

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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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frodoboy
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Swim Park Memories

Post by frodoboy » Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:21 pm

I just talked to my mother about the signs my grandfather made in Fresno back in those days. He designed built and installed the Tower, Warnors, Crest and Wilson's theater signs just to name a very few. He also made the Nida's sign which was on Olive where Blackstone and Abby came together. Later it was the Carriage House Restaurant. The picture of the lady fanning herself in neon was a picture of my mother my grandfather designed. My mother just mentioned to me that the picture of the lady in the swimsuit and cap diving into the pool (maybe Swim Park) was also from a picture my grandfather took of her when she was younger. That totally blew my mind. I will ask her to confirm the name of the pool.

frodoboy
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Re: Swim Park

Post by frodoboy » Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:44 pm

My mother said it was called either called Blackstone Swim Park or just Swim Park. She also said she was NOT diving, just a picture of her standing in a bathing suit with a cap on her head (she thinks).

frodoboy
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Swim Park Memories

Post by frodoboy » Wed May 26, 2010 11:19 am

As to the pool on Blackstone I was referring to, I said the sign was done by my grandfather and it was a picture of my mother but that is all I could remember. She found a picture of it! It WAS called "Swimpark!" Here is a link to the picture:
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Swimpark.jpg
Click to Enlarge

chuckdillon

Swim Park Memories

Post by chuckdillon » Fri May 28, 2010 2:14 pm

The only reason I remember SwimPark is because I went to Lafayette for grade school. They tore in down and built the business park that still resides there. We played pool at the Side Pocket which was owned and operated by the Smith family who kept it clean and had a had a respectable customer base. I was lucky in life to experience all these phases of this property.

Janet Brown Thompson
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Fresno Swim Park - 1950's

Post by Janet Brown Thompson » Mon May 07, 2012 3:18 pm

I'm hoping that was the name of it. It was located near Blackstone and McKinley in the 50's. As I recall it was a large cement lake like pool with large diving boards. My parents took us there when I was really young, say mid 50's. As I remember the 'pool' was more like a large lake with shallow sloping sides of cement. The memories are fading, I'll have to ask my mom about this one.

don howard

Re: Fresno Swim Park - 1950's

Post by don howard » Sun Sep 16, 2012 2:32 pm

Yes, it was a very big round pool, shallow around the sides and deep in the middle, it had a wood island' in the middle with two diving boards low and high and a small slide in the shallow water. It was a good place for swimming with lots of room and wow, was it big!
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The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republic.jpg
Click to Enlarge / Fresno Bee - March 28, 1952

LAWhitton
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Re: Fresno Swim Park - 1950's

Post by LAWhitton » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:52 pm

I was going to post a comment about Swim Park. There are others that are trying to find out about all the old pools. I remember it being round with an "island" in the middle. It was so fun to see the posts from those that do remember it too. I also swam at Blakely's, Weymouth, Maple Plunge, Airways, Wonderland and Clovis Lakes and of course Millerton.

Ajay
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Re: Fresno Swim Park - 1950's

Post by Ajay » Tue May 28, 2013 3:58 pm

I recall that when it opened there seemed to be a worldwide shortage of clothes hangers. You could get in free if you brought ten (I believe) hangers.

skitt
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Swim Park

Post by skitt » Thu May 15, 2014 11:31 am

My brother and I used to go to Swim park every day in the summer circa 1957. I would sure like to get my hands on some pictures of the old place. I also remember Pee wee Playland, but I remember it being at Roading Park.

Steve H.
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Re: Fresno Swim Park - 1950's

Post by Steve H. » Sun Jul 27, 2014 8:43 am

I remember in the 50's that when Airway pool cost a dime, SwimPark cost just 25 cents (which was a big deal). I remember the island in the center of the pool that had a low dive, high dive, and tower dive. Climbing to the top of the tower dive was a real thrill. As was jumping off the thing. Lawyers would never let fun like that happen now!

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