A photo splash of nostalgia: 1960s community pool in Portland
A timeless tradition for many kids during summertime is an outdoor community pool. In 1961, the Kiwanis Community Pool opened on Douglass Street in Portland and remained open until 2024.
In 2025, the pool facility was demolished and construction of the new community pool began.
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The Rising Eddy Community Pool, at the same 165 Douglass St. address, is set to open around July 4. It will include a splash pad, waterslides, lap lanes and a wheelchair accessible pool entry.
Here’s a look back at the Kiwanis Community Pool in its early ’60s heyday.
In this photo in the Evening Express on June 29, 1962, a group of kids and adults are gathered at the Kiwanis swimming pool in Portland on a hot summer day. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)
In this photo in the Portland Press Herald on June 18, 1963, the pool was a popular place for kids to cool down. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)
In the Portland Press Herald on June 18, 1963, kids are seen having a blast at what was then called the Kiwanis Community Pool on Douglass Street in Portland’s Libbytown neighborhood. The pool will reopen this summer as the Rising Eddy Community Pool. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)
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Aimsel Ponti is a music writer and content producer for the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with – and inspired by – music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town. More by Aimsel Ponti
