Office
(336) 855-7255
Pool Front Desk
(336) 522-6580
Tennis Phone
(336) 522-6581
Hamilton Lakes
Pool
CLUB HISTORY
Timeline taken from “HAMILTON LAKES CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF MEMORIES”
By Larry Williamson (Download the 50 Year History – PDF)
Founded on July 13, 1962
Construction of a pool, clubhouse, three lighted tennis courts, a badminton court, picnic area, and a playground.
Independence Day Celebration
On July 4, 1964, the club began its legendary Independence Day celebration. While many events were similar to those of today; some have faded with time. Just as today, there were family swim races, an underwater swim, and a splash for cash (except in 1964 they splashed for pennies). Similarly, the staff (coaches and guards) competed against each other while the youngsters poolside cheered on their favorite staff members.
Swim Team City Champs!
During the summer of 1964, the swim team unseated five-time champion Friendly Park Pool to capture the city title. This championship, along with a follow-up one in 1965, marked the beginning of what would eventually be 10 CSA City championships.
Membership tags
Membership tags were checked as members entered the main door of the clubhouse. Originally the “tags” (as they came to be known) were metal and the membership number was stamped into it.
Ping Pong Tables
Main recreational/meeting area featured ping pong tables
Green > Blue Line
According to one story, when Hamilton Lakes Pool hired Grimsley and University of North Carolina grad Rick O’Hare to lead the swim team in 1975, the original green line around the pool suddenly became light blue.
Tennis Center
Mac Jones, Harold Pitts, Brooks Haworth, and Jim Collins led the movement to replace the small tennis shack with the current tennis building. This new tennis center featured a pro shop, meeting area, restrooms, and a tennis/club office.
Major Renovations - Part 1
Under the leadership of Charlie Sikes, Bill Landrum, and Al Atwell, the big pool, the wading pool, and the entire pool deck area underwent major renovations. The most noticeable differences were the insertion of the pool’s gutter system, and the enlargement of the wading pool.
Major Renovations - Part 2
The renovations began in the spring of 2000 with an enlargement of the wading pool to approximately 2,500 gallons. The wading or baby pool featured a beach-type entry and lemon drop sprinklers for the kiddies. After the pool closed in the fall of 2000, a 25-meter utility or lap pool (77,500 gallons) was built on almost the exact spot as the old clubhouse. There were two more composite tennis courts added (bringing the total number to eight soft and three hard courts). There were also upgrades made to tennis lighting, and an underground court watering system. The most visible addition was the new clubhouse. The entire structure was approximately 5,000 square feet. It featured a modern kitchen, meeting room, and a huge activity room for ping pong, foosball, and even air hockey. The staff (guards and coaches) and the club manager each had their own air conditioned offices.
Pool Resurfacing
The big pool gets resurfaced!
Creative Water Recycling
Faced with the huge expense of putting in a de-chlorination system (as some area pools did), the board created a subcommittee that included members Rick Cockcroft, Steve Lukachyk, Bobby Suggs, and Larry Barnes. The answer was not to dispose of the backwash water, but to use it to moisten the composite tennis court. This self-sufficient system not only negated the need for a de-chlorination system, but it also significantly reduced the club’s need to purchase municipal water – saving the club thousands of dollars per year. It is assumed that this system is the only one of its kind in the nation.
