Page A10
The Chautauquan Daily
R E C R E AT I O N
Weekend Edition, June 26 & 27, 2010
Photo by Rachel Kilroy
The John R. Turney Sailing Center, dedicated in 2006, gives novices and experts alike a chance to explore Chautauqua Lake. With a fleet of 60 boats, instructors offer weeklong classes and lessons.
Chautauqua Health & Fitness · Tennis Center · John R. Turney Sailing Center · Chautauqua Golf Club · Sports Club · Old First Night Run/Walk/Swim
Change in the scenery
Recreation at Chautauqua has seen extensive growth, development over the last 20 years by Jack Rodenfels Staff writer Twenty years ago, a gallon of gas cost $1.16, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovered just below 3,000, and Barry Bonds won his first MVP as a svelte, speedy outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. My, how things have changed. Chautauqua Institution, though grounded in rich tradition and history, has also changed and developed over the past 20 years — perhaps in no area more so than recreation. “There has always been a long-term commitment to recreation on the grounds,” said Jack Voelker, director of the Department of Recreation and Youth Services. “In the past two decades, recreation programs have grown in popularity, fueling improvements and renovations.” One program that didn’t exist 20 years ago on the grounds was Chautauqua Health & Fitness, with locations at Turner Community Center and Heinz Beach. At Turner Community Center, patrons can take in the morning news or catch the scores from the night before while exercising, as all cardiovascular machines have television access and each secondfloor machine is equipped with its own personal TV. Cardiovascular units include stair climbers, elliptical trainers, treadmills and rowing and biking machines, among a host of other apparatuses. A bevy of free weights, a strength training circuit, a basketball court and a 25yard indoor swimming pool, complete with locker rooms and showers, adorn the Turner Community Center. At the Heinz Beach facility, located under the Youth Activities Center, patrons can take in a picturesque view of Chautauqua Lake while en-
joying a selection of cardio and free-weight equipment and multi-station strength cables. To cool down, a dip in Chautauqua Lake during swimming hours is always a good way to finish a workout. “[The fitness centers] were an entirely new adventure for Chautauqua, as it gave us an opportunity to serve the local community and give us a regional presence,” Voelker said. While tennis was introduced to the grounds by cofounder John Vincent in the late 19th century, the tennis program has undergone significant changes in the last 20
sailing offerings have grown dramatically with improvements in facilities, instruction and fleet size. “Sailing existed [at Chautauqua], but 20 years ago, it’s fair to say the sailing fleet, run behind the Boys’ and Girls’ Club, were in difficult conditions,” Voelker said. In 2006, the John R. Turney Sailing Center was dedicated by Dick and Jean Turney in memory of their son, John. A large classroom in the center is used for sailing instruction. With a fleet of 60 boats, the sailing center offers weeklong sailing courses for
“It wasn’t as if something new and outrageous came and developed a whole new direction for Chautauqua. Rather, it was about programs emerging from the community and to enhance the lives of Chautauquans.” — Jack Voelker
director of the Department of Recreation and Youth Services
years. Aging and limited court space led to improved facilities and the creation of the Chautauqua Tennis Center, opened in 2004 and located near Turner Community Center. Featured at the tennis center are eight fast-dry courts with a built-in irrigation system that allows them to drain extremely quickly, allowing for shorter recesses in play when it rains. The center offers an assortment of programs that help develop the skills of both novice and advanced players alike. Private lessons and clinics are available by appointment. Daily junior development programs are offered for visitors ages four and up. Each weekday throughout the season, stroke-of-the-day and matchplay clinics are offered. Over the course of the last two decades, Chautauqua’s
all ages and all levels of experience. Guided sailing excursions for small groups, individualized private lessons and boat rentals are available. The Chautauqua Boys’ and Girls’ Club also uses the sailing center as a home base, providing campers, many of whom might be sailing for the first time, the opportunity to hit the waters. Like tennis, golf has had a proud and storied history at Chautauqua, with professionals such as Walter Hagen, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen competing at the Chautauqua Golf Club. Legendary designer Donald Ross was the architect for the first 18 holes — the Lake Course — finished in 1924. The golf program, like so many other recreational programs on the grounds, has been developed and changed significantly in the past two decades.
In 1994, the addition of a second 18-hole course, the Hill Course, gave the club a unique 36-hole masterpiece for golfers of all experience levels to enjoy. “The Hill Course was added in response to the increased golf presence at Chautauqua,” Voelker said. “It was a case of an existing long relationship that was enhanced by the addition of the second 18.” The Golf Club grew again in 2008 with the opening of the Chautauqua Golf Learning Center. The 25-acre center is a place to improve one’s game with lessons, clinics, junior golf camps and even preschool golf opportunities throughout the summer. “It’s a first-class facility with an expansive putting green, a short game practice area, a driving range and three par-3 practice holes that both challenge and help golfers improve,” Voelker said. Not to be forgotten, Chautauqua’s Sports Club operates on the waterfront, with a mass of rentals available, including canoes, paddleboats, kayaks, and sports equipment including shuffleboard equipment and horseshoes, among others. Sports Club also forms leagues for bridge, lawn bowling, and men and women’s softball throughout the summer and sponsors the ever-popular annual Old First Night Run/Walk/Swim. The Old First Night Run/ Walk/Swim, nearing 35 years
Photo by Rachel Kilroy
The Chautauqua Tennis Center features eight fast-dry courts. Two of the courts are equipped with lights for night matches.
of competition, has long been a mid-season staple. The Old First Night Run became the Old First Night Run/Walk/ Swim in the past 20 years, Voelker said, because there was a demand for an expansion to the race. “With the addition of walkers, it is now a huge family event,” Voelker said. “We took the OFN Run and tried to find a way to get more people involved; now it’s usually 600-700 entrants each year.” With the continual growth of the Institution, it’s hard to miss just how much the recreation department has grown, especially in the past two decades.
“It wasn’t as if something new and outrageous came and developed a whole new direction for Chautauqua,” Voelker said. “Rather, it was about programs emerging from the community and to enhance the lives of Chautauquans.” With multiple daily lectures, visual and performing arts, religion, and myriad educational opportunities for all ages in conjuncture with Chautauqua’s emphasis on lifelong learning, it’s easy to forget the fourth, but equally as important, pillar at Chautauqua — recreation. After all, it’s the recreation aspect that rounds out the truly distinctive Chautauqua experience.
Chautauqua Fair Trade Group
Handcrafted items from around the worldTen Thousand Villages Altiplano, inc. Greater Good Wholesale in the Lobby of the Athenaeum Hotel Open Daily 10-5