Chapel Gate Swim Club in O'Hara preserving memories for decades

Summer is a great time to jump into fun at the local swim clubs.

Chapel Gate Swim Club in O'Hara plans to improve its programs.

Ron Frank, manager of Chapel Gate since 1989, said, “We try to keep growing and suit the needs of the members.”

Longtime member Bob Orringer said, “There are just wonderful things happening here. The world ought to hear about it.”

With 300 families, 125 seniors and 40 individual members, Chapel Gate provides something for everyone. The club was named one of the region's best pools by Kidsburgh.org last year,

“All I want is for my kids to have activities and experiences,” David McNaughton said.

He and his wife, Sarah, joined after they had their first child. Now Molly is 11 years old and her brother is 6. They enjoy the monkey bars and the social time and, of course, the swimming.

Chapel Gate Swim Club is on 11 acres off Glenn David Drive and Dorseyville Road. Along with an L-shaped pool that features a diving board, there is a “baby” pool with a mushroom-design shower. Just added last year was a chairlift to help patrons get in and out of the pool. Scheduled in-water activities include swim team, lessons, lap swimming and water aerobics. Adult swim is called 20 minutes every hour.

McNaughton, who owns a fitness center, sees all these opportunities as a way to balance healthy exercise with less-active technology such as video games.

“I like my kids outside and doing,” McNaughton said.

Nathaniel Haiteman, 16, enjoys impromptu games of “run-down” where the younger kids aspire to play with the teens. There are belly-flop and cannonball tournaments.

“It's the atmosphere: it's relaxing,” Nathaniel said.

Chapel Gate opened in 1959. Every year, improvements are made, often with the members chipping in with their expertise and time.

“We all contribute to make it a better place,” Frank said.

There is an nonreturnable application fee of $150 and a bond of $600, half of which is returned on resignation. A yearly fee of $575 for families and $137 for seniors is collected.

While the gated area around the pool opens on Memorial Day and closes on Labor Day, the campus is open all year. Two tennis courts and a paddle tennis court have timed lights.

Frank said, “Membership changes every year, but stays consistent” in number. New members come in, and others move on, he said.

Sharon Drake is a Tribune-Review contributor.