Dive into Memories of Municipal Pool
August 11, 1996

Tuesday, November 2, 1937 was the day Fostoria took the plunge, dipped into its pockets and made a big splash. That was the day Fostoria voters went to the polls and approved a $30,000 Swimming Pool Bond issue.

Election Day 1937 was the culmination of seven years of work by the Exchange Club which spearheaded a door to door campaign to drum up support for the project.

On Tuesday May 3, 1938 work began on the pool. Elinor Fruth, Willis Hakes, Lucien Kinn and other leading citizens attended while Mayor Cliff Shuman formally broke ground. The construction would employ 50 men to start with and was partially funded by the federal government as a WPA project. The WPA was the Works Projects Administration, a Depression- era agency that funded many public works in order to relieve unemployment.

The pool would be “ultra-modern,” with a sand beach, wading pool, bath houses and a purification system that would circulate and treat all the water every eight hours. The water would be pure enough to drink. The pool was to be as modern any in Ohio.

The diving boards were to be standard Amateur Athletic Union issue and water under the boards would be 10 feet deep to accommodate divers, not matter how skilled.

The 5,000 square foot Sun Beach was just the ticket for anyone wishing to loll in the sun without being disturbed by the activity of the swimmers. Anyone wishing to return to the pool passed through a continuous shower, foot bath and sand trap so as not to cart sand into the pool.

The pool was designed by Ackley, Bradley and Day of East Liverpool, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pa.

Wednesday August 17, 1938 was the next big day for the pool. In spite of the fact that the bath house wasn’t completed, the Park Board decided to open up for an abbreviated swim season. The board also set the price of admission at 15 cents for adults and 10 cents for kids under 16. The City Band moved its weekly Wednesday concert to the pool to help celebrate the opening, though the official opening wasn’t until the ensuing spring.

Throughout the years there have been renovations and repairs to the pool and other changes as well. In 1972 pool manager Scott Bodie announced that prices would be 75 cents for adults, 50 cents for 13-18 year olds and 30 cents for 12 and under. A family pass could be had for $20.

The pool was an incredibly popular place in the fifties. In 1952, 31,077 patrons paid their way in; 18,455 being kids under 12. In June 1953, 10,353 Fostorians took the time to get all wet.

In August 1953, 111 youngster’s were signed up for the pool’s Learn to Swim Campaign. One of those who learned to swim was Jackie Edwards. If memory serves, she was later a lifeguard at the pool. I think she may have been the person who taught yours truly how to swim.

Remember how the pool looked at night with the under water lights on? Remember rest period around 3 p.m. each day and how everyone crowded the sides of the pool waiting for the lifeguards to blow the whistles that signaled everyone to hit the water? Remember the high board? Remember the water show each year with the synchronized swimming, the diving and the clowns? Remember the island and the fountain?

I can see all that stuff right now. I also remember that my mother used to send my little sister, Leonore, and I off to the pool in the early afternoon nearly every day. We’d stay for hours. When Dad got off work from the Nickel Plate Railroad, he’d come by the pool to pick us up. He’s sit on the green benches that used to be on the south side of the pool and watch us for awhile until it was time to go.

When we got out of the bath house, we could go to the concession stand and each get one thing.

I don’t have the vaguest recollection of what little sister got. The confectionary tastes of little sisters are of small moment when you’re nine or ten years old. I distinctly recollect my own favorite item however - PayDay candy bars. I think they cost 6 cents. Haven’t had one in years. Do they still make them? I’m going to find out.