Clark used to have their spree day(1st spring like day when students took the day off)and they would have a rope tug of war in the pond,Freshmen against Sophmores....But to us local residents we refered to it as Crystal Park because it ran along Crystal St.

In the 40's the back end of "Crystal Park" was a geat place to skate. There was always a small campfire at the base of the hill where you could warm up. In the 50's a wading pool was put in at the end near Gates Street.I worked as a recreation leader for the Parks Department in the summers where kids could use the swings, swim, play basketball and have a safe place to play as traffic increased in the neighborhood.The ice skating is gone, but the memories will always be there

I remember when we used Institute park as our gymnasium, and had a blast there. We did a neighborhood clean up day, and picked up the trash in the park as well as in the water. We always called it Crystal Park, that's where we'd go...Crystal Park

This sure brings a flood of nostalgia to me! I have fond memories of times spent at Crystal Park, during my childhood years. I didn't know that it was formally named, "University Park" until my adulthood. (A moment of sad disillusionment, I must note--It's not really, "Crystal Park", and there is no Santa Claus!) My family lived on Cheney Street (which is next to the park) when I was born in 1960 (to give you an indication of the era of which I am reminiscing.) One of my funnest memories is when 4 of my siblings and I went to the park at Halloween time. They were having a contest for the best costume, which my sister won. Back in the '60's, we didn't go to Wal-Mart for a mass produced costume. We had to challenge our creative skills to produce a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. It was not only funner, but it had more meaning to each of us, because we put so much of our time and talents into producing it. We never spent money (or much money) for our costumes. They were created with whatever unwanted materials we could find, which was part of the fun! Thanks for bringing me back. (We can reminisce, but it's true that we really can never go home again.)

Man! I never knew "Crystal Park" is offically called "University Park". Like Margie - just about my whole sense of what the world is collapsed when I read that- just joking. Margie and I probably bumped into each other at Crystal Park. Some of my earliest memories was when my mother took me to the park to play in the sandbox and swim in the pool. In the early 60's there was a circular swimming pool, before they dug it up and built a more modern pool; where, incidentally, many of us caught hepatitus (during the outbreak of 1969). I still remember the hippies from Clark University being drugged up and making love on the hill (not a fond memory but one that is singed in my head). The kids use to go fishing in the pond and catch these spinney little fish - they called them- civers (sp). The park brings up positive emotions that will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. It was where I went for the summer, when I wasn't in summer school or camp.

I remember going to the park when I was a kid in the fifties and my mom would pack me a lunch and I would stay there all day in the summer and swim and take part in the parks recreation program and one year I competed there and then to Beaver Brook and then to Green Hill and I won the putt putt championship and was a jacket and I was so proud of that. In the winter I would ice skate all the time there. I remember when they put a black top on the bottom of the swimming hole. Good memories of when I was a kid and no one had to worry that much about there kids then. I lived on Albert St which was right behind Gates and also myhouse backed to Cheney St. Janice Pepin Young

I remember swimming in the pool during the summer. The bottom was really slimy, but we didn't care. Then, skating on the pond during winter. What fun!

The view in the 3rd picture is facing Illinois St. The red roof was the top floor convent of Holy Name School. This was before the upper church was built next door. Masses were in the basement of the church at that time. I believe the cornerstone on the church is 1898, so this view is before then.

My dad lived on Gates st. I remember visiting Crystal park in the early 60's. He and his dad both worked at Compton and knowles. (sorry if I spelt it wrong)