Photo Courtesy of the News•Progress Archives
Pictured are six members of the 1983 Blue Dolphins Swim team which qualified for the Junior Olympics that March. Those who qualified were, clockwise from the top, Heather Highland, Darren Powell, Brad Voltz, now current Blue Dolphins Head Coach Jason Drury, Trenton Guyot, and Justin Dunscomb.

Civic Center changes over time

•August 19, 2015•

By Joash Tiarks
Reporting in Sullivan

It is no small feat for a couple to live in harmony through a 50 year union; for it to remain a joyful partnership; to be a benefit to friends and to the community surrounding them.

On the 19th of this month, the Sullivan Civic Center celebrates 50 years of service to the community.

On the 18th of September the Sullivan Blue Dolphins swim team will also celebrate their 50th year.

As one mother put it “you can’t have a swim team without a pool!” And it was for this very reason, teaching kids to swim, that the Civic Center was first envisioned.

In the spring of 1961, the Sullivan Business and Professional Women’s Club collected names asking the city to set aside $150,000 for construction which the community approved by April 1962.

A Federal grant under the Housing and Home Finance Agency provided $250,000 for the project and construction began a year later.  Sullivan Civic Center hosted 525 swimmers on opening day, August 16, 1965 and and more than 1000 people attended the dedication.

When Charles Smith, 24, was hired as director an agreement was reached with the school district to allow the students to receive swimming lessons. The first competitive swim team was formed with Doug Shimp as coach of about 20 swimmers.

By March the next year the center hosted seven teams from surrounding counties. Included in the 200 swimmers, was a 1964 Olympic swimmer Lynn Alsup of Bloomington.

From the beginning Sullivan demonstrated its support; giving the team a free pass for practice and competitions.

When the doors reopened in 1974, after roof repairs,  director Steve Ludwig reorganized the swim team as the Blue Dolphins.      Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.