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PO1.1598 |
In
the Good Old Summertime.
With the long dreary winter finally behind us, everyone is looking
forward to the summer with its sunshine and even its hot humid days.
For many years in Niles that would mean spending hours swimming,
sunbathing, and having fun with family and friends at Waddell Pool(a.k.a.
Niles Swimming Pool).
In July 1929 Jacob D. Waddell,
vice president of Empire Steel Corporation, presented the city with
52 acres of land to be used as a municipal park. It was located
just outside the city limits between Park and Warren Ave. and on
both sides of Lovers Lane. Mr. Waddell was hailed as “Niles’
Greatest Benefactor” for his generous gift. Plans to improve
the land with electricity and sewage began immediately. By June
1930 a new baseball field was dedicated with Mrs. Waddell throwing
out the first pitch. It was hoped that a swimming pool might someday
be added to the park. The Waddells were the last residents of the
Ward-Thomas House, now the museum of the Niles Historical Society.
Their portraits are displayed there.
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With the Great Depression of the 1930’s
in full effect, the federal government announced a public works
program offering to pay 30% of the cost of projects that would
give work to the needy. The idea of a swimming pool and bath house
in Waddell Park began to take shape. City council applied for
$40,000 under the National Recovery Act. The architects were Ackley,
Bradey, and Nelis from East Liverpool.
The first concrete was poured in February 1934
and work began as soon as construction material arrived. Warren
at the time was also building their slightly smaller swimming
pool in Packard Park under the same program.
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The pool was dedicated Wednesday July 25,1934.
The newspaper stated,” to several thousand swimming enthusiasts
of the city, today marks a noted change from an unsanitary dirtied
water creek swimming hole to the most modern and up-to-date pool.”
S.J. Bonham, superintendent of Niles schools, delivered
the address.
The pool staff were introduced including pool
manager, cashiers, checkroom attendants, and lifeguards.
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The night included a water pageant, diving exhibition,
and music by the high school band.
A flag donated by Mrs. Waddell was raised.
The ceremony was attended by 5,000 people after which 750 made
use of the new pool.
Niles had one of the most outstanding, modern,
and largest civic pools in the state.
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Pool
hours were from 9:30-9:00. In the morning various groups could swim
for free. Monday morning was the only time “colored people”
could use the pool. Lou Tabor in his memoirs tells of convincing
city administrators to let black citizens use the pool equally since
they were taxpayers as well.
Tuesday mornings was for children
from playgrounds east of Mosquito Creek and Wednesday was for those
from the west side. All other times admission was $.20 for adults
and $.10 for children. Rules included compulsory showers and the
exclusion of those with communicable diseases and open sores. |
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Of
course no boisterous play or smoking was allowed. Bathing suits
had to be clean, modest, and meet the approval of management. The
wearing of swim trunks without shirts was not permitted.
That short first pool season ended
on September 16,1934. Entrance fees collected totaled $1,574.70
from 8,325 children and 3,711 adults. Free swimming was provided
for 3,816. |

View of Niles City Pool in Waddell Park. |
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PO1.1597 |
The
main entrance to the Niles Swimming Pool as it appeared in 1934.
The left side had the changing rooms for women and girls while the
right side was for men and boys.
The front center was the ticket booth
and a storage center in the back for depositing your street clothes
in a wire basket. A small brass tag with your basket number was
exchanged for your basket of clothes.
Each dressing room side had a chlorinated
water bath that you walked through before entering the pool area.
Through the decades countless children
and adults have vivid recollections of swim lessons, birthday parties
or picnics, and days of swimming in the pool. |

Waddell Pool opened in 1934 and closed
in 2014. Although its future is uncertain today, many fondly remember
its past. |
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Jacob D. Waddell (1870-1939) was born
in Trumbull County and learned the iron and steel business at
Youngstown Sheet & Tube and The Briar Hill Steel Company.
He married Mary A. Thomas in 1918, organized
and headed Mahoning Valley Steel Company with W. Aubrey Thomas
and Thomas E. Thomas.
In 1924 Jacob D. Waddell took over the Empire
Steel Company which was located on the south side of the Mahoning
River and east of the Erie Railroad. It became Waddell Steel until
the Great Depression when it was shut down.
Mr. Waddell continued his leadership in Niles
by serving as President of the Niles Bank Company and First Director
of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District. In 1931, Jacob and Mary
Waddell completed their magnificent gift to the City of Niles-Waddell
Park.
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Two slightly different views of Waddell Park
before the pool was built. Note the ice skating rink on what is
now 5 ballfields.
RMI is the industrial complex in the foreground
and the Girl Scout office is in the lower right.
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PO1.1075
Three activities at Waddell Park:
picnicking, baseball, and ice-skating. |

S11.222 |
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Margaretta
Thomas Clingan, daughter of John Thomas, graduated
from the Old Central School, led the movement for the construction
of McKinley High School (now Edison), in the establishment of Central
Park, and other civic projects too numerous to mention.
The Clingan-Waddell Mansion became
the YMCA and is now a group home for the mentally handicapped
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