The skating pond at Union Terrace was a rite of growing up in Allentown. Putting aside climate change, the pond was frozen every winter. Maybe the park department intentionally slowed, or even shut off the flow of water. A fire was kept burning in a metal barrel by the southwest corner of the ice rink. Benches lined the south side where a kid could put his skates on.
While Albeth Ice Ring on the east side was a skating option for the serious skaters, Union Terrace was the choice for us less graceful, but more interested in socializing. There were no iphones or youtubes, just kids interacting with other kids.
The center city and west end kids walked home from the pond. There were no cell phones to call for a ride, and nobody would want to be seen getting into their parent's car.
At that time the park department was a significant part of growing up in Allentown. Come summer each part of the city had its own pool. For some things, like Allentown and its park system, going backwards wouldn't be a bad thing.
molovinsky on allentown is published early morning every weekday.
Some of my favorite childhood memories were made at that pond — a Thermos full of soup and a huddle around the fire... Growing up at 16th and Walnut, there was always someone to walk home with.
ReplyDeleteAgreed that the attention to the parks with a mind toward utility would be a wonderful aspect of our City to recover!
Craig Farley
Hamilton Park
We moved to Allentown from Nashville, TN around 1961. I attended the Union Terrace Elementary School for my 6th grade. I remember that after lunch we would grab our ice skates and run over to the pond to ice skate for an extended recess period. One time someone had driven a jeep out on the ice and was doing circles on it. I just knew that he was going to break through the ice and fall in the water, but he didn’t. When we were out of school we often played on the Union Terrace Park. When I promoted from the 6th grade, I attended Raub Jr. High School. I had some great classes that I loved, including electrical wiring, print shop and German language. I also was in the photography club, which met after school in the top of the tower where our dark room was located. I lived in one of the row houses across the street from the school. On the corner there was a row house that was converted into a little store/soda shop. I used to love going there to get some candy or a soda or just hang out after school. My most intense memory was sitting in my 6th grade English class and hearing the principal announce over the PA that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. Everyone was stunned and some were crying. We got out of school and I ran home to watch the coverage on the TV, I saw the live announcement that the president was dead. I was so sad. Aside from that experience, I had a great 3 years in Allentown. My uncle was the sheriff and I got to do a lot of things based on his position in the community (including a Gold Pass for the fair each year to let me ride any ride free of charge-what fun!). I hope to get back to visit Allentown again some day and relive some of my wonderful memories. Tommy Gibbs, Murfreesboro, TN tg3600@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteAllentown was a great place to grow up, I often talk about my ice skating days at Union Terrace, my eating strawberry pie at Hesss patio, Pip the mouse in hesss window, I could go on and on about my great memories, oh, can't let the great Allentown fair out ......
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