|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
History |
|
The
Club lead a somewhat nomadic existence through the late
1980's into the 90's. The former meeting place used for
decades was buried under the sand when the beach was raised.
For a few seasons the club met in an old above ground
lifeguard station near 25th Street, no man's land we called
it, far removed from the Coney Island amusement zone and out
of the public eye. Membership dwindled, often only five or
six people would show up to swim each week. |
||
|
|
Then
we moved to another lifeguard station in Brighton Beach,
again far from the heart of Coney Island. In the 90's we
found ourselves back in the amusement zone, meeting and
changing in a latrine trailer parked on the boardwalk. Dark
days indeed. Recently, through the efforts of one of our
members Patricia Monica, we have been able to secure a new
clubhouse in the New
York Aquarium.
With heat and running water the Polar Bears have never had
it so good. We gratefully acknowledge this gift from the
Aquarium and hope to sustain a strong relationship with them
into the distant future.
John passed on March 22, 2005, a long time member of both the Coney Island Polar Bear Club and the Iceberg Athletic Club. Although John hasn't been able to swim with the club for a number of years now, he will be remembered by the old timers for his warmth (ironic isn't it?). It is said that John, a winter bather for over 50 years, once went 7 years without missing his daily swim at Coney, a proud record we all envy.
|
|
|||
|
|
|||||
Polar
Bears, remembered
