Financial turbulence was not the only challenge faced by Makin and Riviera Club charter members. Being located in a flood plain was an ongoing concern. The White River flooded the area during initial construction on the pool that began in April 1933. It collapsed the concrete forms that comprised the walls of the pool, which took eight weeks to complete. On May 18, 1933, construction on the clubhouse adjacent to the swimming pool was completed and the pool opened in early June.

A boardwalk built on the pool's west side made it possible for swimmers to walk across part of the pool's area. The clubhouse included a ballroom, dining room, two locker rooms and a concession stand. A separate diving pool, known as "the tank", was added in 1958, and has three diving boards. It is 14 feet deep with three windows providing spectators a view of divers. The recreation building has two indoor pools that one used during the winter months, two gyms, two locker rooms and a recreation room.

Pharasia Donnelly was the Riviera Club's first swimming instructor. She won a gold medal in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay event at the 1924 Olympics in Paris, France

Some Riviera Club charter members are still living in Indianapolis. John Scott and Isabella Troyer each recently celebrated their 100th birthdays. Morris Conly is in his nineties. Their Riviera Club recollections are an integral part of its history, like those of Bill King whom Makin was a mentor to in the early days.

King was raised in Elwood, Indiana. His family owned property on Tippecanoe Lake where he spent summers cutting grass around the cabins that his family built. It is now owned by two of his nieces and his sister lives nearby on an adjacent lake. He is a self-taught swimmer who enjoyed many warm northern Indiana summers there. His wife, Sherry, swam at the Riviera Club as a young girl and she graduated from Shortridge High School. She taught swimming lessons to Riviera Club children in the late 1940s and worked as a lifeguard there while attending Butler University where she met her future husband.

"I began answering the phone at the Riviera Club as an assistant to James Makin while attending Butler University in 1941 with his financial assistance", King said. "I served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II where I worked in communications in the ground force division of the USAF. I returned to Butler University on the GI Bill and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration. After graduation, I gradually took over more of Makin's responsibilities and later became vice president for many years. After the war, GI's returned and got married and a second generation of families joined the Riviera Club. During the 1940s, there were 3500 to 4000 families that were members. This number grew to 7000 families in the 1950s and were retained in the 1960s", King recalled. The Riviera Club's entrance is dedicated to King with an inscription for his 50 years of service.

"During the war, the Riviera Club extended a military family's membership without charging them. Local high school swim teams were permitted to practice here. Makin was always community minded", Faul stated. He passed away in 1959 at the age of 73. Like many volunteers, Faul played a key role in preparations for their 75th Anniversary events.

The Riviera Club's swimming program dove into nationwide exposure with acclaimed coaches Johnny Galvich and Gene Lee in the 1950s. These teams won literally hundreds of local, state and national championships

Thirty-three of Galvich's swimmers were selected for All-American Teams. The Riviera Club won 94 consecutive dual meets before a loss during a period in the 1950s. Donna Graham won the title for the women's National Long Distance Swim three consecutive years. Galvich's daughter, Nancy, was twice named All-American; in 1959 and 1960. She was a member of the National Long Distance Championship Team both years. Patsy Harrower excelled as a long distance swimmer and multiple All-American who finished her career winning 1st place in the Woman's National Long Distance Swim. Galvich's divers, Niegel Henry, Jan Clark and Susan Rothert held State and National Diving Championship Titles. Swimmers won a total of six National Senior Women's Long Distance Team Championships within a nine-year period under Galvich's tenure. He produced a total of 34 National Amateur Athletic Union junior champions. His swimmers were developed by his "Learn-to Swim" program.

Swimmers Donna Graham, William (Bill) Utley, Paul 'Buddy' Bucha, Ed (Eddie) Kin, Patsy Harrower, Nancy Galvich, Pete Galvich, Anne Reel, Nancy Van Ness, Judy Haver, Sunny Gerdt & Sharon Marston were some of Galvich's Olympic hopefuls coached during his years at the Riviera Club where his teams won over 400 trophies.

Kathy Ellis won two Gold Medals in the medley relay as the "flyer" and as the anchor of the 400 meter freestyle relay where she set world records at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She also captured two Bronze Medals in the 100 meter freestyle and butterfly swimming event.