For more information on helping with the upkeep and development of our facilities and grounds, please contact: RJ Respress r_respress(at)yahoo.com or Don Stewart don(at)930.com.
Getting Ready for the New Season: Plans for the Grounds
[March 31, 2009]
Ahh! A new year and, soon, a new PG Pool season! Just thinking about being at the Cool Pool again brings back the sweet aroma of B-B-Q and picnics, the brisk adrenaline rush of diving into the well, the squeals of delighted kids, the driving beat of hot music and dancing feet, the visual delight of a sea of tent-night tents rustling in the wind, and a chorus of contented sighs.
Improvements to the pool grounds didn’t stop when the season ended: during the fall/winter, we greatly improved the lawn areas next to the bathrooms and kitchen and will do continue to work on greening things up in the spring. We are ahead of the curve for work on the overall lawn, as most of the leaves and gumballs were raked up late in the fall. Another major improvement we undertook was the replacement of our very old electrical panel in the kitchen. The new one will provide a much safer environment in the kitchen area, and was the first step for us to begin to make other improvements to our electrical system.
As for projects this spring, we hope to further improve the lawn and eliminate the numerous little depressions that can cause one to trip. We also want to enlarge the narrow entry walkway that leads into the pool grounds from outside. We intend to increase the overall number of picnic tables, fit some with umbrellas in the center to help increase our shade options, and space them out to create new picnic areas. We hope to make some significant improvements to the new ping-pong area at the side of the men’s room, including grading, building a screen to block out the fence, and hopefully having an electrician add some spotlights to better light the area. We will also have a new outdoor “mini-pong” table for use by the munchkin set. From the start of the pool season this year, everyone will, of course, be able to enjoy the new amenities we added toward the end of last season, like the shade sail and smoker B-B-Q.
As for the pool itself, Lighthouse is planning to install new filters in the main-pool pump room, which should result in cleaner water than we have ever enjoyed. While we can’t promise it at this time as we are still getting cost estimates, the board is also exploring the option of having a more eye- and toe-pleasing surface coating applied to parts of the pool deck.
RJ Respress, Don Stewart, and I (the board members in charge of physical plant) will soon need your help—lots and lots of it—to get the grounds ready for another rockin’ season. Whether you are unskilled or a master carpenter, have we got a job for you! Several Saturday workdays are scheduled before our annual pre-opening party. Remember, if you get your co-op hours in early doing preseason work, you can avoid parting with the $100 co-op fee, and maybe meet some new pool friends. Hope to see you in the spring!
--Gary Roush
PreWorkdays are usually held on Saturdays.
See the Calendar of Events for additional dates.
