Patient
Happy memories of my childhood and early teen years, (circa 1983 to 1992). This was the aquatic complex where I learned to swim and participated in every Red Cross swim course from "Turtles" all the way through "Advanced Beginner" and, (once I had completed that final course), obtained my Red Cross swim instruction completion card way back in 1987, when I was 9 years old. I was so excited! It was like it had somehow been decided that it was actually safe for me to be in the water. Woohoo! Among my swim teachers were Sally and Anita. Sally as it turns out was a good friend of my fourth grade teacher, Mary Jones, and I ran into Anita years later at the library as I was doing volunteer hours for a class I was attending as a high schooler at SPSV. (I never had the nerve to tell her that she had been my swim teacher because at that point I had become an embarrassed teenager). Funny story: when we had finished the "Advanced Beginner" course, she threw us a "graduation party." We sat poolside and munched on every flavor of "Pepperidge Farm" goldfish crackers that were "currently" in production in the year 1987: cheddar, parmesan & original. I swam there with the Benicia Blue Dolphins for two years, as well, as this was Anita's next recommendation. I also remember when my elementary school, Saint Dominic School, used to march us to the pool in the springtime afternoons. We were lucky enough to have the wonderful Mrs. Ethelree Saraiva with us in those days and I remember her instructing several classes, (year after year of little people), in the "baby pool." She really worked hard to share her enthusiasm for all things "water related" with us and I wouldn't trade those beautiful chlorinated memories for anything in this world. I haven't been there now since 1992, (as I was exceptionally near-sighted before having had laser surgery in 1998), but seeing the beautiful Google Maps images brings back a flood of happiness as though I were re-living my childhood. (I confess I even shed a tear or two). So many nice memories of good times and kind people. It looks like the City of Benicia has done an exceptional job of maintaining it and making the necessary upgrades. Good job! I still, (at age 47), love to swim, by the way... ;-)