Staying afloat at the
Fox Chase Swim Club

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

Baba Stoerrle and her family have been members of the Fox Chase Swim Club for a decade, but they missed hanging out at their favorite summer destination when it was closed for the last two years.
As the temperatures topped 90 degrees last week, Stoerrle and her children and grandchildren were glad to be able to jump in the pool and enjoy the rest of the amenities at the swim club.
"We’re thrilled to death," she said. "It’s our beach house away from the beach."
More than a half-century ago, the Park Crest Swim Club opened at 1098 Solly Ave. By 1989, with the club beginning to look a bit rundown, it was purchased by Phil and Janet Lazar, whose family was among the members.
The Lazars, who raised their family on nearby Chandler Street, renamed the grounds "Fox Chase Swim Club," and Phil Lazar spent countless hours making the place look like the jewel he envisioned.
Within a few years, there were 300 families on the membership rolls, with others on a waiting list.
"He poured his heart and soul into this place," Nick Lazar said of his dad.
Sadly, Phil Lazar died a few years later. His six children helped their mother keep the place flourishing, though some of the fun of running a family-owned business disappeared with Phil Lazar’s death.
By the summer of 2004, the two managers were moving to Florida. When the club closed that Labor Day, it would remain shut for two full seasons. Janet Lazar almost sold the place a few times but didn’t.
Finally, the Lazars decided to reopen for the 2007 season. The family poured a lot of money into renovations, including new landscaping and fencing, a retaining wall, a playground and a deck near the kiddie pool.
"We felt we needed to come back better to show our customers we have something nice to share," said Nick Lazar, the manager who was a big part of the renovation effort.
Of course, you can’t have a swim club without members, and management wooed back former members and enticed new ones to join. There are discounts for police officers and firefighters.
On Memorial Day weekend, the Fox Chase Swim Club reopened to the delight of the owners and the members.
"The members missed it, and we missed it," said Janet Lazar, who lives adjacent to the club on Stanwood Street.
The club was open only on weekends until last week, when it went to a daily schedule. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Often, there’s a line in the morning waiting for the club to open.
Carly Smith was a club member as she was growing up. Today, she brings her 2-year-old son Liam to the pool. The rest of her family has also rejoined the club.
"The atmosphere is great, and it’s never too crowded," she said.
The operation remains a family affair. While Nick Lazar is the manager, his aunt, Carol Geiger, checks in members at the front gate. Others help out, too.
The acre of ground includes picnic tables, charcoal grills, a basketball court, a snack bar and a covered pavilion.
The depth of the pool runs from 3 feet to 9 1/2 feet, with a diving board in the deep end. There’s always a lifeguard or two on duty. No alcohol is permitted.
The club offers an array of activities, including swim lessons, water aerobics, raft day, teen night, movie night, arts and crafts and bingo. On July 21, there will be a "Fox Chase’s Got Talent" variety show.
After hours, the club is available for private rentals.
The fun will continue through Labor Day.
"We have a new sense of excitement about it," Nick Lazar said of reopening. "We’ve got nothing but good feedback."
Lazar, a fireman who lives next to the club, said his family stresses safety, clean water and a casual atmosphere. By midseason, most of the members get to know one another. He thinks a private setting, with all of the amenities, offers a much better experience than a city-run pool.
Fox Chase Town Watch and a close-knit neighborhood help keep out uninvited visitors.
Rita O’Gara, of Rhawnhurst, is a first-year member. She brings her 5-year-old daughter Capri. Her cousin, Jennifer Buck, and her three children are members. So is a friend, Michelle Brennan, and her daughter.
O’Gara describes the club as "very family oriented" and especially great for kids.
"They’re all making a lot of new friends," she said.
While O’Gara is enjoying her first summer at the club, Verna Tapper has been a staple. The Solly Avenue resident has been a member for 37 years.
"I can roll out of my bed and into the pool," she said.
Tapper describes the newly refurbished club as "gorgeous." She eats lunch there, swims laps, hangs out with friends, plays RummyCube and works on her tan.
Tapper is a regular at the club.
"I try to get here every day the sun’s out," she said. ••
For membership rates and more information, call 215-725-8187 or 215-725-2640 or visit foxchaseswimclub.com
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com