The Westport Weston Family Y moved from downtown a few years ago.
Actually, it’s been gone so long it’s ready for an expansion at its “new” Mahackeno digs.
The iconic original building (at the corner of Post Road and Main Street) and the gruesome 1970s addition (on Church Lane) have been transformed into handsome Bedford Square.
We’ve all adjusted to the changes. But every year around this time, longtime Westporters remember the very best part of having the Y downtown:
Going back in time many decades….I learned to swim at Compo Beach; learned to dive from a diving board at the Westport Y. Those were the days!!
Those beautiful trees!
What has happened to The Red Barn that was absorbed by the “Y” several years ago?
The building is still standing. The Y still has not decided what to do with it. It’s not contiguous to their property — there’s a cell tower in between.
I remember when the y was at the corner of the Post Road and Main Street. I as at Bedford Jr High, and after school my brother and I would walk down to the Y and swim for 1/2hour then play billiards/pool until five. But, the best thing I remember was every other Friday night getting dressed in our grey flannel suit and white gloves and go to Miss Comers Dancing Class. Look Magazine did a 6 page story about my twin brother and I getting dress up every other Friday night and going Miss Comer’s Dancing class to learn how to dance and “the Social Graces” i.e. to bow and thank your partner. That was when the Westport YMCA was not only physically in the center of town but was also the social center of town.
My memories are a lot like Scott’s, minus the billiards. Miss Comers dancing class was a highlight of my youth. Add in lifesaving classes and if my memory serves me the Downshifters met at the Y in the early years. Of course, I wasn’t a Downshifter. I think the Girl Scout Council had an office in the building. It truly was the center of the town.
How well I remember walking to the Y after junior high with my friends Jerry Keneally and Bill Deegan and playing billiards at the lower level of the Y or going upstairs to hang around with friends. We had dances there too, hot, sweaty teenage dances. I loved the old Y.
From 1971 to 1996 when I moved the business to The Mill that was my view as I stood at the counter of Quick Copy across the street. I watched those trees grow from saplings to the view in the picture here, ever more beautiful each year. Of course, the Y is gone, and now the successor at my location, Dovecote, has also moved on after almost 20 years. There are many ways to measure the passage of time.
I still don’t understand why they cut down those wonderful flowering trees. It was such a beautiful and comforting scene at the top of Main Street.
The were probably cut down so the front of the building, with the commercial signage, wouldn’t be obscured.
Those trees were part of the beauty of downtown. Those trees were gorgeous, much prettier than the present landscaping. Too Bad,😒
The photo of the YMCA brought back memories. I played there many times in
Jr. High with the early bands I had.
Upstairs provided a large dance floor and I vividly recall the Footlights on stage. A sparse sound system consisted of one monitor speaker high up on one wall.
My group was called The Flares and at one point David Ohanian was our drummer, with Rick Del Vecchio on alto and tenor Sax.
For a real professional act The Moonglows (“Sincerely”) appeared there. Many moons ago!