During my childhood in Stevens Point, hot days were often spent at the city's municipal swimming pool, which everyone called The Munici-pool.
It was spartan by today's standards. No water slides, or wave machines. Just a pool, with a deep end and a couple of diving boards (one a high dive).
I don't ever remember adults being involved in any way with our trips to the pool. It was usually a group of kids from the neighborhood walking there or riding our bikes. I bet the oldest kid was sometimes no more than 10 years old. But things were different then and we were all free range kids.
Admission to the pool was 10 cents. That's right. One thin dime. And that got you a wire basket to put your clothes and towel in. In exchange you were given a pin with a basket number that you attached to your swimsuit.
You weren't allowed to bring a towel into the pool area..towels were strictly for drying off afterwards. No toys either..no frisbees, water goggles, no water wiggles. If you were a real renegade you snuck in an extra dime to go diving for.
At 3:00 it was break time and the lifeguards got to go in for a 15 minute swim. Every one else had to take a rest, sunning ourselves while lying down on the hot cement. There were no deck chairs at the Munici-pool. There was also no suntain oil allowed. We didn't call it sunscreen back then..it was supposed to make you tan faster, not protect you from anything.
I had a lot of great times at the Munici-pool, even though I was a terrible swimmer. I almost drowned there once, but I think I'll save that story for another time.
Kitty,
What a great memory! I spent my summers the same way, plus being there in the morning for swim team practice. Now the pool has a slide, and I've seen inflatable toys etc. in the water. We called it the Youmicipal Pool. You can still see parts of the old bike path we used to take through the field where the hockey rink is now. Great memories..
07/19/2011 5:20PM
Steve
I got kicked out of that pool for showing my water-wiggles.
Owed everyone a dime...
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