History
Northbridge Terrace Recreation Park & Pool was founded in 1958.
The purpose and scope of the organization:
The management of the facility is vested in a Certificate Shareholder elected Board of Directors. Each Board member serves two years in position.
A brief history on Northbridge Terrace, retold by Betty Parks in 2000.
Our club members discussed the need for recreation for our children. There were no movies theaters or fast food places at the time. Mr. Clayton Perreault, Director of the American Red Cross, was living on Afton Avenue. We had a meeting at Clayton and Doris' home to talk about building a swimming pool. Forty families put up $400 each and were given stock certificates. These were dated April 28, 1959. A contractor was hired and the pool was ready within the year.
We needed volunteers to sign up and take Red Cross safety classes. Many residents were eager to help. Alton Parks was so willing to assist, he became one of Charleston's first "instructor" instructors and later taught cadets at The Citadel. All of this was volunteer work. Many of the moms were certified to teach the children to swim. This effort was successful because of caring parents.
Before long, the children wanted to organize a swim team and have racing events with other neighborhoods. Our first novice swim meet was at Hobcaw Creek subdivision in Mount Pleasant in June of 1961, and what an exciting event for our girls and boys! That was the beginning of the great Northbridge Swim Team. If we could have seen the future, the swimming pool would have been much larger.
The purpose and scope of the organization:
- The encouragement of physical fitness through the operation of swimming and other recreational facilities and programs;
- Providing instruction and competitive opportunity in the above for those who with to avail themselves of same;
- The enhancement of neighborhood spirit through social functions.
The management of the facility is vested in a Certificate Shareholder elected Board of Directors. Each Board member serves two years in position.
A brief history on Northbridge Terrace, retold by Betty Parks in 2000.
Our club members discussed the need for recreation for our children. There were no movies theaters or fast food places at the time. Mr. Clayton Perreault, Director of the American Red Cross, was living on Afton Avenue. We had a meeting at Clayton and Doris' home to talk about building a swimming pool. Forty families put up $400 each and were given stock certificates. These were dated April 28, 1959. A contractor was hired and the pool was ready within the year.
We needed volunteers to sign up and take Red Cross safety classes. Many residents were eager to help. Alton Parks was so willing to assist, he became one of Charleston's first "instructor" instructors and later taught cadets at The Citadel. All of this was volunteer work. Many of the moms were certified to teach the children to swim. This effort was successful because of caring parents.
Before long, the children wanted to organize a swim team and have racing events with other neighborhoods. Our first novice swim meet was at Hobcaw Creek subdivision in Mount Pleasant in June of 1961, and what an exciting event for our girls and boys! That was the beginning of the great Northbridge Swim Team. If we could have seen the future, the swimming pool would have been much larger.