When I was back in Pittsburgh last week, one of the places that I revisited was the
Chapel Gate Swim Club . Our family were members of Chapel Gate for many years. I, too, was briefly on their swim team but swimming was not really the reason that I went there. I went to play bridge. I went even on rainy days because the life guards still had to be there and it was mostly the life guards that I played with; the McCrady brothers, the Taylor brothers, Melanie ? and Jennifer ?. It was the perfect arrangement. The life guards would play during their off time. They rotated in and out of life guarding and bridge playing. Many of them came to the club on their off days. The person that had the dummy hand would take a quick swim to cool off and then come back for the next hand. I remember the year that I worked in the steel mill in Oakmont that I would not even go home when I was done at 4 o'clock. I would go to Chapel Gate to take my shower and get some swimming and bridge in before dinner. Often I would return after dinner for more of the same.
As you can see from the picture, Chapel Gate does not look all that different. The clubhouse is much bigger and tennis courts have been added where we used to play volleyball ( I remember that many times the 'old' men would play against us young guys and kick our butts consistently). The high diving board is gone and the entrance to the club is now almost totally hidden from Glen David Drive by trees. There is just one small stone pillar with a sign that says “Chapel Gate Swim Club”. Other than that, it looks pretty much the same. The club was not open at the time I took the picture so I could only get parking lot shots. Anyway, it brought back many fond memories.
If I remember right, there was a family that lived on Glen David Drive, whose children all had rhyming names. That is, they had rhyming names the way we said their names, not the way Mrs. Beale said they should be pronounced. Something like Larry, Barry, Carrie, Shari, Mary...
ReplyDeleteThis is remarkable. Chapel Gate does look exactly the same from this angle, though I think there is a corner of the "much larger clubhouse" in the lower right corner. I see that there are lounge chairs now...how nice that would have been! I remember so many hours stretched out on that grass there, burning to a crisp. Tom, I had forgotten the bridge aspect of the club till you mentioned it--I'm pretty sure Peter played a number of hands as well. Here's an odd memory, too. Chapel Gate was the first place I ever saw a vending machine. Do you remember when the club first opened there was a machine down by the restrooms that sold Coke in a paper cup for 10 cents? There was probably a candy bar machine too, though I don't specifically remember that. Just the 10 cent C Cokes. We each probably got 10 cents a day, or maybe 20 cents, to spend on refreshments.
ReplyDeleteAnd Nancy, while I don't remember that family, you are absolutely right--to my mother, there is no way that all those names would have rhymed.
I'm amazed because I was there five or so years ago and it was clearly not in use and practically a ruin. I'm glad it has been restored to its former glory. I remember the vending machine, too.
ReplyDeleteGreat vintage photos of Chapel Gate are here.
ReplyDelete@Dan Ruby....CG has never been "in ruin". Where you there in the off season?
ReplyDelete-MK
Well, it must have been during baseball season, since going to Pirate games is the main reason I visit. But it may have been in April or May, before the club opened for the summer. The reason I thought it was closed was that the parking lot seemed overgrown with weeds, but maybe that was just another symptom of being off-season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the correction.
@Dan Ruby......your link to the vintage photos is down. I'd love to see them if you still know the link.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MK