Idlewood Neighborhood

The History of Drayton Woods, Pt. 1

Oct 13, 2001

by Mary Ziegler-Martin

You may be wondering about the Drayton Woods Park and Pool - why is it vacant? What was it like? In an effort to help bring the Park and Pool back to its former glory, it might be interesting to hear what it used to be like from a few long-term residents of
Drayton Woods.
In November of 1968, Drayton Woods subdivision ended at 1488 Drayton Woods Drive and at the McDonald house on Burleigh Court. From there, the rest of the neighborhood was just either dirt road or farmland; Harbour Oaks didn?’t even exist. During this time, the land where the Park and Pool is located was bought from the builders at the unbelievably low cost of ONE DOLLAR.
The founders of Drayton Woods Recreation Club were a group of about 20 neighbors who lived in the vicinity of the Park. They came up with the plans, and signed notes at the local CNS Bank for 10 to 12 thousand dollars, the amount needed to construct the park and pool. These notes would be paid back through memberships sold to families in the neighborhood over the next several years. Three of those founding members still live in the neighborhood: Ed and Jean Fleming, Don and Mickey Wise, and
Bob and Marty Padgett.
Everyone pulled together to clear trees and land. Old telephone poles were donated to build the bridge across the creek, affectionately remembered as the ?“Jim Dendy Memorial Bridge,?” named after the man whose trailer hauled all the poles back to the park.
Believe it or not, concrete trucks rolled over the bridge three times to pour concrete culverts and gravel for the pool?’s foundation. And in 1969, the new 155 thousand gallon pool was ready for swimming. There were lots of young families in the neighborhood, and swimming lessons and swim teams were the highlight of many summers. ?“When the kids were out of first grade, and could swim the length of the pool, they could go to the pool by themselves. Of course, a lifeguard was always present,?” said Janet Brewer, a 30-year resident of Drayton Woods. ?“It was just wonderful. We didn?’t take glorious vacations, but we didn?’t miss too many summer days at the pool. I had my own friends to visit there, too!?”
?“We have wonderful memories of the pool, too,?” remarked Janet McDonald, an original resident. ?“The Mommies went to the pool to talk to their friends and the kids played and swam in the pool; those were good times. There were also many championship swim teams (from Drayton Woods).?” ?“The Dale Harbolt swimming trophy was awarded to the best all-around swimmer in the neighborhood; it was a treasured prize passed around year after year,?” said Jean Fleming.
The pool was the center attraction. ?“It was the pulse of the neighborhood; you knew all of the people there. Our parents never worried about us going to the pool by ourselves, I spent most of my summers there,?” stated Meggan Brewer Wilcauskas, daughter of Janet and Ray Brewer. Meggan and her family moved back to this neighborhood three years ago.
The pool originally featured two diving boards and a slide; the slide was nicknamed ?“Fleming?’s Fiasco,?” after Ed Fleming, who brought about its installation. Buckhead Pools delivered the slide, and billed for it two years later. By that time, the water system to the slide was
broken, so they ran a hose to it to provide a slick surface. The legs of the slide had started to wobble, so they were sunk deeper into more concrete. By the time those improvements were finished, the swimming pool slide was declared to be too much of a liability, and the insurance company made them remove it.
Saturdays were big days at the pool; July 4th was a BIG party. Doug Mims was in charge of building a fire for the annual pig roast. ?“He would build a fire so big you could see it on Mars,?” quipped Ed Fleming, ?“We needed to borrow his over-sized shovel to dig the coals out of the pit.?” Jean Fleming added ?“There were softball games in the Park?’s field and races and relays in the pool. We even hired a band one year, and somewhere between two and three hundred
people showed up.?” ?“There were social activities planned throughout the summer months, for families, kids, and adults,?” added Janet Brewer. ?“You could hire a lifeguard and have a private party after hours,?” said Janet McDonald, ?“It was so convenient.?”
The pavilion in the park came later - Millard Wilkeison helped to organize and build it in the 80?’s. The playground was added, along with a nice BBQ pit, but it was torn up before it could be used.
?“The pool (memberships) were filled to capacity within a few years of its opening; there was a waiting list of families wanting to join. If you sold your house, and you were already a member, you could sell that as well, so the new family wouldn?’t have to be put on the waiting list,?” said Janet Brewer.
Then came the 80s, and another chapter in Drayton Woods history began . . .

What happened next? When were the tennis courts added? What is that strange bridge on Theory Lane? What could become of the pool, park, and courts?
Watch for part 2 of this article in an
upcoming newsletter!