Friday, November 14, 2008

Swimming At Truman?

A reader alerts us: Most folks don't realize that Truman College has a huge swimming pool that has not been used for years. Why not open up this pool, a community resource paid for by taxpayer money, for adult swimming? This issue was brought up last spring and received a lot of positive reaction.

Ald. Shiller and the Chicago Park District will be meeting soon with Truman College to discuss opening the long-closed swimming pool. If you want to see Truman open the swimming pool for the general public, NOW is the time to contact the 46th Ward office and let them know.

You can also send a copy of your email to Greg Harris at greg@gregharris.org asking his support. Phone # 773-878-4646, speak with either Ms. Odell or Ms. Blaise, and/or email ward46@cityofchicago.org. Happy swimming!

13 comments:

  1. Are you saying the pool is currently drained and not in use---or in use but not open to anyone other than a Truman College student or employee?

    I taught adult swim lessons at that pool during the early 1980s. It was a pretty nice facility as I recall, although some occasional gay cruisers in the lockerroom made it uncomfortable for me and others.

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  2. What a shame to hear that the pool is being under-utilized! Twice it was used by the Pegasus Players (who perform at the Truman theatre in case you're unaware) for a production of the musical "The Frogs," an adaptation of an old Greek mythology story; it was a big hit both times around.

    Speaking of which - has Pegasus announced their upcoming season yet? I know their mover and shaker Arlene Crewdsen is resigning.

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  3. Gee billyjoe, you must be quite the hottie in your speedos to gain the attention of the 'Gay Cruisers. Is that a rock band or what??

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  4. ups boy: Hottie? Speedos? What kind of porn movies do you watch?

    I was there to do a job--teach swimming to adults. It was fairly obvious to me and the students who complained to me that some guys were in the lockerroom for other reasons.

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  5. 'some occasional gay cruisers in the lockerroom made it uncomfortable for me and others.'

    Sorry BJ, when you said 'me' I thought you were referring to yourself. Your second posting indicates you just heard about it. Point being, this has nothing to do with making the pool available to the community.

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  6. I can assure you of two instances where I felt uncomfortable noticing particular sexual activity around me. My students noted other incidents (inferring that I should report them, which I did), leading me to conclude that this stuff was happening fairly regularly in a huge, mostly unmonitored lockerroom.

    Such activity should be of concern to anyone considering opening up this pool to the public, especially if that public includes kids and teens.

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  7. Maybe Truman College could build a separate "Straights Only" pool to satisfy billyjoe's problem with "the gays." Then everyone would be happy. While they're at it, Truman College could install extra "straights only" drinking fountains and "straights only" bathrooms so that billyjoe (whoever he/she is) could feel more comfortable.

    Unbelieveable! What a homophobe.

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  8. And once again BillyJoe succeeds in switching the conversation away from the subject at hand and to Him! Him! Him!

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  9. So, does anyone know who we should talk to about getting community access to the pool? I mean the community is paying for the parking garage there, right? So...wouldn't it be a swell idea to give something else back to the community? Something besides Cubs parking we don't need in Uptown, since we can all walk to Wrigley...

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  10. Making note of poor behavioral choices in a public space by "the gays" is not homophobic. It's a very valid concern for anyone with a sense of decency. Engaging in sexual acts in a public space is disrespectful and wrong. There is a big difference between common flirting and blowjobs, the latter of which should only occur in private. There are way too many gay men who feel it is their innate right to engage in this tom-foolery whenever the mood strikes and they should be shamed into abstaining. A public pool is not Steamworks or other such bath house or adult book store. It is and should always remain a family friendly environment free of unseemly adult activity.

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  11. "Making note of poor behavioral choices in a public space by "the gays" is not homophobic. It's a very valid concern for anyone with a sense of decency. Engaging in sexual acts in a public space is disrespectful and wrong."

    Thanks for supporting me on that, Chuck. According to gays like Zesty Marinara, I'm a homophobe for getting pissed about such activity in a public place. (Knee-jerk defense mechanism, I guess.)

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  12. My pleasure Billy Joe. Bad behavior needs to be addressed when we can, not overlooked because some think it's "less bad" or politically incorrect to do so. As one of the gays that ventures out of my ivory tower to mingle with the minions on occasions I, too, find this behavior distasteful and, honestly, too rampant in what should be family-friendly areas. Any one who knows me can tell you I'm not easily discomforted by matters sexual, I was in the adult industry for quite some time, after all, but Truman pool is not a bath house. Than again, neither is the Magic Hedge.

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