“Jump In”

By

Gerry Niskern

While there is deep concern about the extreme drought here in Arizona, the kids are doing what they have always done in the summer, “Gon Swimmn”.

Actually, I should say, kids invariably  find some form of water fun here in the valley, and there are many. If they don’t have a pool at home, there is always a community pool close by. The many water parks cover acres with slides, wave pools and winding rivers.

Years ago the kids who lived in Phoenix had their favorite holes along the Salt River. There was a constant stream of water down the channel, flowing over rapids into big pools a block or so long and deep enough for good swimming. One place was called Pike’s Retreat. It was a deep lake, a quarter mile long and a hundred yards wide, at the foot of Seventh Avenue.

Of course, the kids also swam in the canals, which were closer to home. The Swilling Ditch was another favorite of locals. The kids loved swinging from ropes tied to a Cottonwood tree ad dropping into the frigid water of irrigation ditches that fanned out across the valley. The barefoot climb up the rough bark was worth it every time.

Eventually there were many pools built around the valley. Eastlake Park, Coronado, and University were among the first community pools. Broadway pool, located at 19^th Avenue and Broadway, wasn’t as well known, but it held special memories that my resident historian used to relate.

“My family had just moved here to Phoenix in August of l941. I met a kid who invited me to go to the Broadway pool to swim. Being a young man from a dusty little town in Texas, I didn’t know how to swim. Also being a ten year old boy I wasn’t about to admit it. We walked South from West Jackson clear across the Salt River bed to get there. I hung around the shallow end and watched the other kids to see just how they did it. Then I moved a little deeper and pushed off. For a few seconds I found myself in a strange world of kicking legs and bubbles. After I came up and gulped for air I started thrashing my arms and legs and pretty soon I was propelling myself through the water. Pretty soon I decided that I could keep up with my friends in the deep end. All I can say about my first day of swimming and nearly drowning time after time, is, it sure was a long walk two miles North across the river bed and home.”

Wherever you learned to swim as a kid, canal, river, lake or pool, I’ll bet you’ve never forgotten the delight of that day.