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Show SUNDAY/April 27, 1997 TheSalt LakeTribune Old and New Swimwear on Attitude Page J-8 PERSONALS Page J-6,7 “Thirty years ago, the church had an inspiration to build this building, and thatinspiration only lasted 30 years,” laments Elwood Liedtke, above,sitting poolside at the soon-tobe-closed Deseret Gym. Meanwhile, HelenVarley,at left, swims at the gym where she has been a member } since 1938, and Kurston Krantz, below, jogs on the track above the bas- ‘ '| ketball courts. Era of Sweat and Tears Closes at Deseret Gym BYNANCY MELICH THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE he directions are specific: Monday, Wednesday and Friday move the body counterclockwise. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, turn around, head the other direction. And always be respectful of others in the lane. Rules of the track at the Deseret Gym — or rulesof life? For many patrons of the 87-year-old Salt Lake City institution, closing Thursday to accommodate anew assemblyhall for LDSfaithful, there is little distinction. “I do not know what kind of person I would have become wereit not for the Deseret Gym,” said Helen Van Os Varley, whofirst stuck toe in chlorinated water 60 years ago at the old DG and wenton to becomea record-breaking competitive swimmer. Tall, slender and broad-shouldered, she moves today with the athletic grace of swimming movie star Esther Williams, an obvious benefit of a decades-long love affair with laps. That, however, is only the halfofit. A philosophyforliving, learned from her first DG teacher, Susie Winward, has two levels. LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley stated that the 129-year-old, 6,000-seat been the real gold medal: “Alwaysfinish the race. Don't give up. Do the Tabernacle on Temple Squareis “increasinglyinadequate in accommodatingall who wish to attend {LDS General] Conferences and other large gatherings.” Extensive gardens and an underground parking garage for 1,500 vehicles are included in the plans designed by ZGF, a Portland, Ore., architectural firm. The builders, Legacy Constructors, are a consortium of three Utah construction companies: Jacobsen, Layton and Okland. Possible comple- best you can — thenkicka little harder.” With tears welling, Varley looked around the gray walls of the women’s locker room. “This is not just a place of bricks and mortar,” shesaid. “It is a place to build character, to learn to support each other, to form bonds with diverse people. Determination, self-respect, self-discipline, they come with this gym. I wish we had 10 morejustlike it.” Instead, there will be none. The sound of a wreckingball will replace the swooshof a baseline jumper, the metal clank of a thousand locker doors and the intercom voice soundingan alarm in mid-dive: “Sally, your lights are on.” Following a year of rumors, the First Presidency of the LDS Church, ownerand operator of the public athletic facility, announced Feb. 5 that it would build a “great hall” on theblock north of Temple Square. The DG and the Mormon Handicraft gift shop tion date is April 2000, in time for that spring's LDS General Conference. Current estimated project costs: $240 million. Groundbreakingis scheduled for July 24. With the countdown to destruction only days away, a bald, pot-bellied fast walker in a yellow tanktop waves fromhis treadmill to an 80ish man climbing aboard a stationary bike. The biker smiles and waves back, then crosses the circuit training room floor, past the rowing machines His skinny legs, sporting knee-high chocolatebrown socks, make hima dead-ringerfor a stork in Nikes. — the onlybuildings on thelocation bordered by “What are you going to do?” asked Tanktop MainStreet, West Temple, North Temple and 200 West — will become rubble. you get to our age, that’s howyou have to doit The newassembly hall is designed to accommodate 20,000 people in a theater-style setting on “No plans,” responded Brownsocks. “When Dayat a time. Darn shame, this closing thing.” "Yep," ‘What about old Jim? Since his wife died, this as been his life?”” “Don't know. S'pect he won’t be with us much longer,” They pause. Clear their throats. Nothing left to Just another waveof a hand and a resolute smile. They return to their customary morning routine — one pedaling, one walking The normally soothing floor fan blows an ill wind today. The red Sprint machines arelosing their luster. The stuffing is comingout of the faux Naugahydeseat on the bicep curl. Thepin to the leg extensionis stuck on 100 pounds andtheglass hasfallen off the face of the clock. Thestairsarefilled with dustballs and soda pop stains, Thestainless steel shower stalls caked with old shampoo, the mirrors splattered with hair spray. Theneglected stateof the dressing rooms would be enoughto send Fanny Berry, the fastidious former DG women’s locker room attendant into apoplexy Like an empty theater where ghosts of Willy Lomanand King Lear linger in the wings, there is an eeriness invading theisolated basketball courts this spring morning. Usuallyit is a noisy, smelly place, where shouts of “Gimme the ball, gimme theball,” emit from hoop enthusiasts of all ages races andsizes. See DESERET GYM, PageJ-4 |