Cleaning and maintaining the pools was an annual chore. The concrete pools were prone to cracking with the freeze/thaw cycle. For many years, the I-Pool had a crack all the way along the bottom. The pool leaked and required regular filling. Many pools required annual painting.
Pool decks were also prone to cracking. In the late 80’s the decks around the T-Learners were replaced with paving stones as they could no longer be maintained.
Prior to construction of the I-Pool, other designs were considered.
The next design includes the unbuilt Recreation Hall:
The approach to the locker room:
Transferred from 8 mm film. Silent.
First season – 1961:
Locker Room Expansion:
The locker room was originally built for the I-Pool. It was enlarged when the T-Pool was built.
This is the locker room facing the I-Pool:
This is the other side of the locker room showing site prep prior to excavation for the T-Pool in 1961:
The T-Pool water was kept clear by a diatomaceous earth filter housed underground, below the T-Pool Locker Room. The filter had to be backwashed, generally twice daily, and a new application of diatomaceous earth applied each time.
Dimensions: 30′ x 55′
Bert beside the newly constructed I-Pool in 1957. Photo is taken at the east end of the pool looking north. In the background, the future nurse’s office is on the right and the Peewee (Muppet) area is to the left.
Campers around the I-Pool on the first day of camp – 1957:
1959:
1960:
1966:
1988:
I-Pool, 1964:
By 1990, when these photos were taken, the pools were showing their age. Each year there were repairs required to the concrete structure. Since the pools were not covered during the winter they had to be drained and cleaned each spring. Most years the pools were also painted.
The photos below show the pools in spring 1990 and the work required to prepare them for the summer.
This photo is looking north. The campers are facing the I-pool. In the background is the snack bar for the swim club. More on the snack bar HERE. 1958.
A look at the T-Pool, I-Pool and I-Learners in 1988.
Dimensions: 70′ x 60′
Built in 1964, the design was based on another pool:
The photo below was taken in 1961:
Dimensions:
Filtration:
(From David Morrison) The T-Pool water was kept clear by a diatomaceous earth filter housed underground, below the T-Pool Locker Room. The filter had to be backwashed, generally twice daily, and a new application of diatomaceous earth applied each time. During my tenure at the camp, it was mostly me or Dominic who performed this function.
Unfortunately, no one at the time fully understood the dangers of inhalation associated with crystalline diatomaceous earth (which, while not asbestos, is an asbestos-like substance), so we didn’t wear masks to prevent it. In today’s environment, doing that kind of work without a mask would be unheard of. I shudder to think of how much of that stuff we inhaled. Fortunately, the summer was only 60-some-odd days long, so I doubt that any permanent harm was done to either of us, although the damaging effects are cumulative, since the fibres never really leave one’s system. In any event, whaddaya gonna do?
TRIVIA: The first people to swim in the T-Pool were Ellen (Eli) Sobel, Jeff Levy, Jackie Sugarman, Janice Langer and Myrna Mosoff.
See also:
Dimensions: Learner: 20′ x 36′ Peewee: 20′ x 10′
The ‘baby pool’ AKA “The ‘P’ Pool”.
Dimensions: 20′ x 36′
After construction of the first T-Learner – 1963:
The second T-Learner was built in 1972.
Below, replacing the concrete deck with pavers in 1988:
Forest Valley Day Camp 1956 - 1993 
