Tucked behind a line of trees and houses on Oak Street in East Hartford, the Glenbrooke Outdoor Sports Center feels like a world apart. Spread across more than a dozen acres and hidden from the road, the facility sits at the intersection of the East Hartford, Manchester and Glastonbury town lines.
Built in 1964 by a group of East Hartford businessmen, the property began as a neighborhood destination centered around two outdoor pools. Over the decades, it evolved into a broader recreation complex and summer camp.
Glenbrooke Puts Water Safety at Heart of Camp
For more than 60 years, Glenbrooke, now a nonprofit, has welcomed hundreds of children each year, with swimming and water safety at the center of the operation.
Glenbrooke provides Red Cross–certified swimming lessons, helping generations of local children become confident swimmers.
“Learning to swim isn’t just a summer activity — it’s a life skill,” said Rose Viola, volunteer coordinator at Glenbrooke. “For generations of families, Glenbrooke has been a place where children gain the confidence and safety awareness they need to be comfortable in the water.”
Many of the lifeguards and instructors working at the pools today first learned to swim at Glenbrooke themselves as children.
Many instructors go on to swim competitively in high school or college, returning to Glenbrooke during the summer to teach the next generation.
Water safety will be in focus again this summer when Glenbrooke hosts a press conference on June 25 to highlight the importance of swim lessons and to announce new partnerships with the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Injury Prevention Program and the Stew Leonards Water Safety Foundation.
The event will also coincide with Glenbrooke’s participation in The World’s Largest Swim Lesson, an international initiative aimed at preventing drowning and promoting swimming education. During the event, children enrolled in the Glenbrooke Kids Camp and the center’s morning swim lessons will take part in a synchronized swim lesson as part of the worldwide effort.
Organizers are also exploring an international connection this year, hoping to pair Glenbrooke swimmers with “pool buddies” in New Zealand participating in the same global event.
“By partnering with Connecticut Children’s and joining a global effort like the World’s Largest Swim Lesson, we’re helping bring greater awareness to water safety.”
While the water safety message is serious, the atmosphere at Glenbrooke remains unmistakably summer fun, says Rose.
The Glenbrooke Kids Camp, launched in 2021, runs eight weeks each summer for children ages 6 to 13. Campers attend four mornings of swim lessons each week, often becoming strong swimmers by the end of the program.
The camp operates 35 hours per week, emphasizing old-fashioned outdoor play. Cell phones and electronic games aren’t allowed, encouraging campers to spend their days having fun and making new friends.
Activities range from soccer, basketball and pickleball to double-dutch jump rope, arts and crafts and lawn games. A new playground provides a shady gathering place for younger campers, while afternoons are often spent back in the pool with friends and counselors.
In addition to camp activities, Glenbrooke fields the Glenbrooke Gators swim team, open to swimmers ages 6 through 18. The center also sets aside three evenings each summer for Family Fun Nights, when Glenbrooke families gather at the pool for games, swimming and fellowship.
“For more than 60 years Glenbrooke has been the highlight of many families’ summer enjoyment. Our goal is to help kids learn essential water safety skills while experiencing the joy of classic summer fun.”
ABOUT GLENBROOKE OUTDOOR SPORTS CENTER
Location: 429 Oak St., East Hartford (on the East Hartford, Glastonbury and Manchester town lines)
Founded: 1964
Organization: Nonprofit recreational facility and Connecticut-licensed summer camp
Facilities:
• Two outdoor pools used for lessons, recreation and swim team practice
•Basketball, ping pong, and pickleball courts for youth programs and open play
• Soccer field and sports clinics that promote teamwork and active play
• Playground and shaded outdoor activity areas
Programs:
• Red Cross–certified swim lessons focused on water safety and confidence
• Glenbrooke Kids Camp (ages 6–13, eight weeks each summer)
• Glenbrooke Gators swim team (ages 6–18), introducing young swimmers to competition and teamwork
Online: glenbrookesports.com