As many residents are aware, our pool is swiftly approaching its end of life. We are seeking to replace our pool facilities with a new, larger pool, with new equipment, housed outside, new fencing and deck. Subsequently, we would replace our tennis court & parking lot. Please continue reading to understand the history of our pool & reasons it needs to be replaced.
Management (A little history…FYI)
For many years, the pool was maintained by a dedicated group of families who volunteered a week at a time over each summer. Volunteers would open & close the pool, clean the bathrooms, tidy the deck & manage the chemicals. Water samples were often taken to Hudson Pools and when our numbers were “off” we’d be given chemicals or instructions to improve the readings. Often, children were involved in these responsibilities. While it was an awesome way to get involved in the neighborhood and give our kids a learning experience, it caused some issues over the years and as our pool facilities began to show their age, it became unfeasible and potentially dangerous.
In general, management of our pool is increasingly demanding on our volunteers, as a wide range of issues come up during a summer – from locked bathroom doors and lost keys – to clogged toilets and a half-empty pool (oops!). Ultimately, the unsafe conditions of the basement & use of potentially harmful chemicals, as well as the need to ensure consistent & safe chemical levels in the water, drove us to hire a professional management company in 2021. This is an additional cost of $~11,000/summer and is expected to increase after Summer 2022.
The benefits to hiring this company have been immediately and overwhelmingly obvious. They open & prepare our pool for the season and close it for us in the Fall. The pool is clean, filled and safe every morning and we have a professional to call whenever anything goes wrong. Volunteers still close the pool, tidy the deck and clean the bathrooms each evening and Board members are on-call when other problems arise, but the bulk of management is handled by the professionals.
Does Size Really Matter?
Originally, the pool was built to serve Phases I-III, with an additional pool built for Phases IV-V. Can you believe it?! So, our pool was not built for 133+ families. Many of us have been to our pool on a hot summer day when it is packed. There is no room to actually swim and it can be dangerous for smaller children. The design of our pool also doesn’t allow for lap swimming, in which many have expressed interest.
It is not intended to replace our pool with one sized so large that we need lifeguards or can host a swim team. But we can increase the size significantly (up to 1999sqft) and alter the design such that short lap swimming can be offered. See below for an example design.
Aside from the “wants” regarding the size & design of our neighborhood pool facilities, the size of our pool, combined with the high usage is often a maintenance challenge. Ensuring proper, safe chemical and water levels is difficult when the pool is so heavily used.
Mechanical Issues Abound
The mechanics for the pool are housed in the basement of the clubhouse, under the bathrooms. The plumbing for the pool runs under the concrete deck, through large holes in the foundation walls. Water pours from these holes almost continually, allowing for standing water in the basement.
The standing water has caused our hot water tank to rust out & be replaced 2 times in 3 years. We now have an on-demand system, mounted on a dry wall, which hopefully alleviates the need to replace it frequently. The standing water also creates hazardous operating conditions for our pool equipment and maintenance staff.
Problems with the Liner
Each Spring, volunteers remove the winter cover and assess the condition of the pool. New problems tend to crop up over the cold winter months. In 2019, we found many decorative tiles had fallen off and broken. As a result, we removed them all, sanded the backing & caulked damaged areas. We also discovered the liner has cracks & bubbles. The cracks cause the pool to leak which requires constant monitoring to maintain appropriate water levels. We attempted to find a pool contractor to fix the bubbling in the liner, but could find no one to fix them.
Conclusion
It is clear that our pool needs attention and very likely that it will need full replacement in the next few years. Our amenities, including the pool, tennis court and Clubhouse, are what make NGE so appealing to new residents and it is imperative that we maintain the high-quality community in which we are so lucky to live.
The Board asks that you participate in the Pool Funding Survey and upcoming dues increase vote. Check your email for more information.