On November 3, 2024, the City of Tempe celebrated Tempe Town Lake’s 25th Silver Anniversary. There was live music, games, food trucks and more. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and explore a bit of AYC and TTL history to commemorate this special anniversary.
George Sheller – Involved from the Beginning
In the fall of 1966, member George Sheller was a first-year student at ASU’s College of Architecture when the founding dean, Jim Elmore, said to his students and staff, “Let’s do something with the Salt River!” George spent the next five years living with the concept that grew in proportions and was one of several students who designed the model for the project that was eventually presented to community leaders.
Some 30+ years later, in June of 1999, George and Jim Elmore were proud to stand on the parched shore and watch as the water valves were turned on and the lake began to fill. The vision had come into existence; what a marvel it must have been!
for many local groups, including AYC.
On July 16, 1999, George was among the first to set sail on TTL. He was at the tiller of a Coronado 15 as he ferried the City of Tempe employees around the lake. Maybe this helps explain George’s fondness for consistently organizing and sailing in the Summer Heat Stroke Series. Read George’s remembrance of AYC’s and his involvement with TTL.
AYC Organizes the First Tempe town lake Regatta
On November 6, 1999, the City of Tempe held its Grand Opening of TTL, and AYC was there to help celebrate with the Inaugural Water Under the Bridge Regatta. Event organizer and Racing Fleet Captain Steve Groce reported that 90 boats were on the water for the event. With a new body of water available, what else would sailors do but go sailing?
Steve mentioned that the biggest boats on the water that day were C22s. He credits Tom Errickson for launching and retrieving all these boats with his tractor since there was only one boat ramp and no public launching area. Dennis Martinelli helped Tom with this monumental task.
Steve dug in his archives and shared photos of the memorabilia created from this event. I wonder how many AYC folks still have these!
by Dave Nowak. Click pic for larger view.
Where’s Tom Errickson?
Compare the two photos below by moving the slider back and forth. Can you see the missing piece?
He then appeared on a city poster for the TTL Grand Opening, or at least his boat did!
Of Special Interest
Many are unaware that George wrote the design program for the future sailing, rowing, and paddling center known then as the Rio Salado Aquatic Center. It has since been renamed the Boathouse and Welcome Center.
Since AYC and ASF are listed as clubs and associations that use the lake, we believe that, at some point, both will be a part of this future lakeside facility. Check out the Boathouse and Welcome Center website.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE RACING DUE TO THE DETERMINATION OF ONE PERSON
The excerpts below are taken from an article by Mike Ferring, written when David Rawstrom was awarded the AYC Sportsmanship Trophy. (Compass Points, May 2009)
“Think of David at Tempe Town Lake, lounging in a lawn chair with a sun umbrella, popping off race starts using a pump-up horn based on a plastic, two-liter Mountain Dew bottle….
Our successful TTL racing program owes its very existence to David Rawstrom. When he thought we should be racing at TTL, David didn’t wait for someone else to do it. He invited people to come by, set up his lawn chair by the edge of the water, and ran races—not just once or twice, but for every race, every race weekend, for years. He got the TTL baby to crawl, walk, squawk and sail on its own. He gave up sailing himself in order to open up sailing for others and we’re still benefitting from his push start….”
Buccaneer 18 Sailors on the City of Tempe, Mill Avenue Signs – Just another cool tidbit of history related to sailing on TTL. Mike Ferring wrote this fun article about how a few AYC members reached stardom on the streets of Tempe.
For you history buffs, here’s more
Salt River Stories
To read more about TTL’s history, check out this article, The Rio Salado Project, by Shannon Maki.
James Elmore
Click here for an ASU video history interview with James Elmore, sharing the concept for TTL and how it began and was later embraced. (2 min)
ASU Remembers: Jim Elmore
Tempe Pedestrian Bridge Dedication – Those familiar with the lake know the pedestrian bridge near the dam. Still, you may not know it was dedicated to James W. Elmore, the visionary for Tempe Town Lake. James passed away on April 19, 2007, at age 89. Read more…
City of Tempe
Read more about TTL’s timeline by clicking here.
On this 25th Silver Anniversary of TTL, AYC salutes the visionary leadership and determination of Jim Elmore and his many students, including George Sheller and the Tempe city officials who made Tempe Town Lake a reality! And thanks to all those involved in that grand opening 25 years ago!