These pictures from October 19, 1963 show the initial construction of the proposed Brookline Recreation Center building on the upper level of the park, next to the old farmhouse, which served as the Recreation Center since the park opened in June 1947. This new shelter house was actually the basement section of a much larger structure that was scheduled for the future but never got past the planning stage.

The Brookline Community Center Association purchased the twenty-acre former Anderson Farm in May 1947, and since then have been working to develop the land. Community fundraising, special events and the sale of three and a half of those acres provided the necessary capital to begin that transformation. All of the work was done by volunteers, with the bulk of the materials donated by local establishments. The city of Pittsburgh pitched in by making some infrastructure improvements.

Pitching in during the construction, Mrs. Ruth O'Hanlon, president of the Community Center Association,
and Mrs. Anne Wolovich help prepare lunch for the construction workers while in the background
Mrs. Jean Wallace, Mrs. Margaret Vucic and Mrs. Cecilia Modispatcher sort materials.

Renovation of the existing farmhouse came first, followed by leveling of the sloping terrain into a two-tiered park. The construction of a playground and two ballfields for the Brookline Little League came next. Dreams of building a first-rate multi-purpose Recreation Center building were next on the agenda, and construction of the shelter house was the first step towards making that dream a reality.

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A 1962 artist's conception of the proposed Brookline Recreation Center building.
Note the basement level, which is under construction in the above photos.

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During the nine years from 1963 to 1971, the shelter house and the neighboring farmhouse were the center of activity in the park. The hillside playground was soon expanded, basketball and tennis courts were constructed in the adjoining open area on land that was extended and leveled with donated fill, and for a few years an ice skating rink was in operation during the winter months.

Despite these many achievements, fundraising efforts failed to provide the necessary capital to complete the ambitious Recreation Center project. In 1966, the park was sold to the city for $1 and a promise of further development. From 1969 to 1971, the city worked to build the present-day Brookline Recreation Center building on the lower level of the park, next to the ballfields along Oakridge Street.

The final image below shows the "blockhouse," as it became later known, in 1979, shortly before it was torn down demolition to make room for an extensive expansion of Brookline Park. By this time the building had become run down and had seen better days, but the memories of the glory days of the 1960s have cemented its spot in Brookline Park history. The landmark was torn down in 1980 as part of a comprehensive park redevelopment effort.