Pool Slide Photo Gallery

For years it has been the most-requested new feature at Raccoon Valley. "Can't we get a pool slide?" "All the other Suburban League teams have slides, why don't we?" "If we don't put in a pool slide, I'll hold my breath until I turn blue!" And that was just from the RVSC parents. You don't want to know what our kids were saying.

In 2007, the Board of Trustees decided it was time to act, largely because too many board members were turning blue at meetings. Research was initiated, bids were accepted, and by early winter, a decision was made. On this page we'll document the story of the The Slide in pictures, beginning from its arrival at the Valley in early March through its official debut on Opening Day in May. Keep checking back for updates!

March 10, 2007: "...Some Assembly Required"

The Slide had arrived at Raccoon Valley a couple days earlier; the event hailed by an email from the club president announcing "The Blue Eagle has landed!" Out to the club that Saturday went the crack photography staff from RVSC.org (so named because our sanity must have cracked for us to venture outside to take pictures on such a windy, miserable, sub-freezing day.)

We found The Slide resting alongside the diving well....and by the main pool...and under the clubhouse canopy...and in about a half-dozen other locations as well. There may have been even more; we were too discreet to check the ladies' room.

Still, it was a great sight to behold. The Slide is in Raccoon Valley blue and white, as is only proper. The tube looked to be roughly 15 ft. long, and the platform risers were about 8 ft. It's a 30-inch slide, which might sound narrow until you actually get a look at it. It's in fact huge. Rest assured that no Bandit of any age or shape will be getting stuck this summer.

Before we left, we checked out some of the club's other new features for 2007, such as the new concrete area and stone landscaping by the kids' pool. It all looks great. We left reflecting that it was only 2½ more months...and hopefully about 60 more degrees...until Opening Day.

March 14, 2007: Construction Begins...

The frigid weather broke for a couple of days later in the week, and Raccoon Valley seized the moment to start installing The Slide. These photos are courtesy of the Stragas. Though the final picture shows the assembled platform at the northeast corner of the diving well, we think it might ultimately end up in the corner nearest the pumphouse. Quite honestly, as long as the outbound end is over water, we'll be happy.

April 29, 2007: The Plot Thickens

The Slide is now fully assembled and ready for Opening Day! Its permanent home will remain in the northeast corner by the diving boards. Though a few junior Bandits reportedly crawled through the tube before it was attached to the platform, nobody has slid down it yet. (We're confident of this because the diving well still has the cover on, and there is no sign of any Bandit-shaped indentations on the tarp.)

It's inevitable that the moment the tarp comes off, someone will make a trip down (and given that the water temperature will be about 45°, godspeed to them.) But there are also a plethora of plans and plots being hatched to be the first one down it officially on Opening Day. Some of the lifeguards are talking of an overnight campout, like at a rock concert, which is too crazy to contemplate. We have a better idea: if you want to make the first official trip down the Raccoon Valley Slide, be at the pool at 12:30pm on the 26th, and we'll pick a name out of a hat.

May 26, 2007: Who's On First?

After months of anticipation, the big moment finally arrived. Blessed with an 85-degree sunny Saturday to launch the swim season, Raccoon Valley was packed with families right from the start. The drawing was delayed by half an hour to allow time for all of the many kids who wanted to take the first official ride down the slide to pass their annual swim test.

About 30 tickets were in the bowl when the drawing was finally held at 1pm...and, in a delicious stroke of irony, the winner was a club guest! Elizabeth was at first reluctant to make the first trip, but her friends and classmates quickly persuaded her. A few seconds later, when she came zooming out of the tube and into the diving well (yes, we took the tarp off first), the Slide Era at RVSC had officially begun.

We'd guess that over 700 rides were taken by the end of the first day...and definitely not all by kids either. As part of our responsibilities as RVSC.org webmaster, we felt compelled to take a trip or four to report on the experience. Simply business, you understand. We can testify that riders come out of the slide traveling almost as fast as they'd hit the water off the high dive...except horizontally. It was definitely worth the wait.

We took many pictures of the first day's riders, and we'll post the gallery to the club's new photo portal, http://photos.rvsc.org, as soon as the site is ready, but here are a few previews. Happy sliding!