The Grandview Pool in Columbus Ohio holds a special place in my heart. I grew up in Grandview until the 4th grade and have very fond memories of visiting the pool in those early childhood days. My grandparents on my father’s side grew up in Upper Arlington, my father in Grandview and now my parents and sister live in Grandview again. Needless to say, that is the area I still call home even though I’ve lived overseas and in California for the past 23 years.
Grandview has changed very much over the past three decades and the pool is no exception. Grandview is now considered ‘trendy,’ a designation I think has been earned with its proximity to Ohio State University and all the improvements made over the years. I believe the first time we ever thought of Grandview as somewhat “fashionable” began with the opening of Stauf’s Coffee Roasters which opened on Grandview Avenue around 1994 or so. It was soon followed by Spagio, a fancy Italian restaurant that I’d only been in once due to not being able to afford such fancy establishments. Stauf’s has outlasted Spagio with the Italian restaurant closing and is now The Avenue Steak Tavern.
Even with the growth and improvements, I still yearn for the ‘old days’ like many of my contemporaries do. The pool especially, is a place that is special to everyone in Grandview. In an age of privatization, of isolation from COVID and social media, the pool still brings the community together like a ripple from the past.
I grew up before air conditioning and so the pool was the only place to find some relief. I remember spending all day there and afterwards coming home to lay on an orange shag carpet with the fan blowing directly on me. We didn’t have much money in those days where “belt tightening” was a phrase that would cause a lot of dread. There were times when a pool pass was in question but thankfully, and to my mom’s insistence these passes always appeared.
Above is a picture of the old entrance where I’d proudly flash my pool pass enabling me to walk right on by with an affirmative nod from the lifeguard. I’ll always remember that cold, wet, tile floor meeting your bare feet as shoes were unnecessary items. You only needed your towel, swim trunks which we’d already be wearing, and hopefully a packed lunch.
As for not having much money the concession stand was often off limits. Instead my mom would pack a lunch, usually of peanut butter and jelly or a bologna sandwich. Still the offerings of the concession stand really pulled on a kid’s stomach and so I’d often dive off the board and go down 20 feet looking for loose change. If I were extremely lucky I could find enough for the best offering – a piece of pizza – although usually I’d only have enough for a pretzel stick or licorice which only cost 5 cents.
The picture above is of the old concession stand but when I was growing up there was no tent that I can remember. I want to say there was a tennis court in the mid ’80s but I could be mistaken. I remain shocked in the amount of offerings these days in the beautiful, new concession stand as well as my mom giving my nephews $20 to go buy whatever they want! $20! They don’t know how lucky they are! In addition, now that I have my own money and with the invention of smart phones, I can even order in a Donatos pizza! Talk about a luxury we didn’t have growing up.
It is in the ’80s when I spent most of my time at the pool and I often think of ‘the old guard.’ The Hendersons, the Saturns, the Reddifers whose mothers would always be tanning and smoking cigarettes. Two of those families no longer have ties to Grandview and the kids live far away. Regardless, like ripples in a pool, I can still feel their presence from those long gone days even though the pool has gone through a major renovation and most current patrons weren’t even born yet. Where are you now Sean Dudley? Sean was my neighbor who I played with in the early days and sometimes accompanied us to the pool. I saw him randomly at the pool on a trip back home around 1998 but have no idea where he is now as I haven’t been able to find him on social media.
Another reminder of the ‘old days’ are the trees that sit just beyond the back fence. Those trees where there when I was growing up and have seen many generations of people come and go. I remember those trees from the ’80s and how I’d look at them watching the wind rustle through there leaves giving off an immense sense of peace and tranquility. Looking at them now I yearn for the days when I had no worries and nothing else on my mind than enjoying the pool and looking forward to playing with my He-Man or Star Wars figures when I got back home. It would be summertime and there is nothing like the euphoria of being a young kid, knowing you don’t have school the next day and having nothing on the calendar but playing with friends and your toys. I only have a faint recollection of that feeling now as they’ve been worn away with all the cares that come with adulthood.
Grandview pool was a place where I and even my dad learned to swim and we both had a similar experience. Swimming lessons were conducted very early, before the regular pool hours and so the water would be freezing. You just had to get the courage to jump in, be absolutely shocked for a few minutes and then your body would adjust. Over the years you’d advance in levels, starting out as a minnow and progressing to dolphin. Those are the only two levels I remember. You even got a patch that would go on your swim trunks.
Below is a picture of me where you can see that patch proudly displayed.
I have a few random memories I’d like to share:
Manny the Lifeguard – I wonder what happened to Manny. The reason I remember his name was due to a serious event that left me frozen. I must have been six years old when an older, handicapped boy who could only use one arm had his face in the water and was splashing about with one arm not being able to get his face above water to breathe. Being very young I froze in terror wanting to help so bad but being very unsure I’d be able to or getting into a drowning situation myself if he latched on to me. Thankfully a fully clothed woman walking by jumped in and pulled him up. My Mom let me know that Manny was going to help him because I was very worried.
Another event was when I did almost drown due to some very large moron who was pushing himself backwards in the water and not seeing me somehow got my head caught under his arm. Either he was paying attention to something else or just being an ass but my face was in that water for a good five seconds and thus I couldn’t breathe. I was really shaken up and he completely ignored what he’d just done.
There used to be a slide in a corner of the pool that was fun but also very dangerous. You could slip and fall on the way up, or if horsing around slip out of the slide and in both cases would land on concrete. I remember the ambulance coming more than a few times and eventually they removed that slide, perhaps around 1987. I wonder how long it had been there and how many ambulances were called?
Above is a picture of my sister with my grandmother. The slide would have been in the top right corner. Since I don’t see it I’m guessing it was indeed removed around 1987.
If you remember your ’80s slang there was something called a ‘D.’ The meaning is a ‘ditch’ which means the person behind you can get in front of you to shorten their own weight. “Can I have a D?” I first learned this word while waiting in line for the slide and being asked for a ‘D,’ by the teenager behind me. Of course I wasn’t going to tell him no because I was just a kid and could have made a dangerous enemy which would ruin my day at the pool!
Movie Night – This was an extremely fun event that occurred only once a summer if I remember correctly. Just being able to be in the pool at night was an incredible experience and there was a movie playing too!
Another memory is that the basketball courts were off limits for a young kid like me. The reason is it was always occupied by fully grown men who were serious about their basketball. As ’80s fashion dictated the shorts had to be really short and if it were hot, then shirtless.
In the picture above you can see what I mean if you look past my terrified flip and the perfect dive next to me to the court in the background.
The pool is my top destination when I return home in the summer. But aside from the trees nothing looks the same, although I must say it is much improved. There is nothing like special memories from childhood and revisiting places like these are nourishing. I’m reminded of where I came from and how wonderful my childhood was. As time passes on there may come a day when I no longer have an immediate connection to Grandview and that will be a sad day indeed. I’m not looking forward to perhaps visiting in my old age where I don’t know anyone, all friends and family are gone and it is just me and the trees who remember the times gone by.
