Drawing inspiration from surprising sources, properties are plunging in with refreshing approaches to creating new pool appeal.
If your pool area is not the focal point it once was for your property—or if it’s never enjoyed such a status—the time might be right for a renovation.
“I’ve spent 37 years in country clubs, and they’re so different than when I started,” notes Dave Weakland, General Manager of Mt. Hawley Country Club in Peoria, Ill. “They’ve become almost resort-style venues. The expectations are for more than just good golf; it’s to provide a lifestyle where there are plenty of activity options.”
Because of the focus on families among members these days, Weakland adds, parents want to feel their kids are as safe as they are entertained—particularly when it comes to the pool area. When Mt. Hawley decided to refresh its pool facility, which was first constructed in 1923, Weakland turned to the king of family-friendly entertainment for inspiration: the Walt Disney Company.
SUMMING IT UP
•An increased emphasis on family fun has put a new focus on upgrading and expanding pool areas. |
“Country clubs seem to always go with a safe green color scheme,” he said, “but we decided that wasn’t for us. Instead, we feature gold, orange and purple—influences from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort [in Orlando, Fla.].”
The road to refreshing Mt. Hawley’s pool facility wasn’t exactly problem-free, though. In fact, the $2.8 million project was three-and-a-half years in the making, and took two rounds of voting before members greenlighted it. This was because the project was more than just a mere facelift. But eventually enough support was gained, and now there’s a “super-shoot slide,” a diving board, a swim canal with four sunken benches, a bridge over the canal (inspired by a similar structure at Disney’s Beach Club Resort), and a new lap pool on the upper level that was deepened to seven feet. On the lower level is every kid’s dream: a zero-depth entry pool that features three fountains, six bubblers, a five-bucket drop, and “firefly” and “mushroom” spray.
Mt. Hawley CC has a zero-depth entry pool that features three fountains, six bubblers, a five-bucket drop, and “firefly” and “mushroom” spray. |
And where before there was just a snack bar, there’s now a grill with separate family and adult dining areas. The open-air bar doubles as a cooking cabana, featuring plasma TVs and wi-fi access.
Going against the norm paid off, Weakland reports. “We opened the pool area on Memorial Day weekend and in about eight weeks gained 46 members, which in this economy is great,” he reports. “With the crowds we’ve been drawing all summer at our pool events, we have a lot of reason to believe that the renovation played a role.”
Follow the Floating Flower
Just as Mt. Hawley didn’t want “typical country club” décor, the Peppermill Resort & Casino, in Reno, Nev., went for a decidedly non-casino theme for its facility expansion. The $400 million project began in 2005 and wrapped up in November.
“The theme is Tuscan elegance,” explains Spa Director Arzu Delp. “We balanced an Old World feel with a contemporary look.”
The three-story, 30,000-sq.-ft. spa and salon is new construction, as are the new Peppermill Town Terrace and Tuscany Tower guestroom areas, plus a steakhouse, nightclub and parking plaza. The new pool area was expanded by nearly two-thirds, Delp says, going from a traditional rectangular shape to eye-catching curves.
“It’s right in the middle of the property, so many of the guestrooms have a view of the pool,” she adds. “It’s now in the shape of a water drop, with a nice flowing feeling.”
Architect Peter Wilday made a mosaic tile flower the focal point from both the upper and lower pool decks. As Delp describes it, “the flower looks as if it’s floating in the water, no matter what angle you’re viewing it from.”
The decks themselves were designed so that Peppermill could host weddings and other events poolside without tying up a public swimming area. Cabanas and a bar were added so guests could relax with a drink by the pool or privately with friends. A children’s menu and healthy food options ensure that the property caters to its increasingly family- and health-centric guests.
When Pinelake CC decided to renovate its pool, designers took care to respect the look and feel of the clubhouse, which was built eight decades earlier. |
Returning to Old-School Fun
Where Peppermill went against tradition with its project, the pool restoration for Pine Lake Country Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., adhered to it. When the project got underway in November 2007, reports Scott Rush, project manager for Pine Lake’s parent company, Burroughs & Chapin, the designers were careful to respect the look and feel of the clubhouse, which was built eight decades earlier.
“Pine Lake’s original pool location was just outside the existing pro shop and grill room,” Rush explains. “The design team felt that these areas should be separated, and the pool facility should be a stand-alone amenity of the clubhouse.
“Based on this decision, the pool was relocated to the other end of the clubhouse,” he adds. “Members could then have access to the pool without intermingling with the golf operations.”
The 70 x 30 ft. rectangular pool was incorporated into an area of the clubhouse that was renovated to provide additional amenities, including restrooms, shower facilities and a future fitness room. Everything was constructed on budget—and actually completed ahead of the allotted four-month timeframe.
Sticking to the Plan
Two things in particular led to the Peppermill project’s success, says Delp: frequent team meetings that allowed any potential issues to be addressed and remedied almost immediately, and an attitude of getting things done right the first time. “The owners made it clear that they didn’t want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” she says. “If you skimp on construction, mistakes are made, and things have to be redone.”
It turned out to be the right way to go, because the resulting facilities opened on time, on budget and to many accolades. “It made all the difference in the world,” she says, noting that even the recent economic downturn didn’t cut into the budget. “We went full speed ahead, because we knew that ultimately the economy would turn around and we would see a return on the investment,” she says.
The Pine Lake project also went smoothly because all of the design elements were discussed by the project team during the planning stage, Rush believes.
“Too many people go in with a rough design, and then absorb costs as they make change after change,” he says. “We did our research and knew what we wanted. There were actually no changes from our bid design.”
Rush stresses the importance of making sure that your design team is up-to-date on all local and state building codes.
“This is an area that could bring your project to a halt or prevent your facility from opening after completion, due to a misinterpretation of the local and state building codes,” he notes.
Weakland says he’s glad the Mt. Hawley Board had the foresight to earmark $200,000 for contingency projects. Although the original plans called for reinforcing the existing pool, when work began the crew found the walls were just too far gone to be usable, so they had to be fully reconstructed.
It also helped, he notes, that the general contractor, electrician and plumber are club members who had a personal interest in the facility. Otherwise the costs and delays that could have been incurred, he believes, would have been daunting. “To make our deadline, they put in 18-hour days, installing stadium lights in the parking lot,” he reports.
In the end, the project has proved to be worth every penny. “Everyone’s been convinced,” Weakland says. “Even members who didn’t want the renovation in the beginning saw why we needed it. We’re able to use the pool area so much more, and it just adds a lot of life and vibrancy to the club.”
Safety by Design
Here are some tips to keep in mind when renovating or designing your pool area:
• Create physical barriers. Fencing, self-locking gates, night illumination and similar items can go a long way towards preventing accidents, especially with young children.
• Post your policies. Indicate what’s allowed and not allowed in the pool area, and whether there’s a lifeguard on duty. In addition, pool depths should be clearly marked and visible.
• Conduct—and document—inspections. There should be at least a daily record of chlorine levels, as well as a regularly occurring written inspection of the condition of the pool, steps, ladders and surrounding area. Make sure operable poolside safety equipment, including an emergency phone, is in place, and that you have ground fault circuit interrupter protection for any electrical equipment located within areas that can become wet.
• Be aware of federal, state and local code requirements. This includes the federal requirement that as of December 20, 2008, all pools, new or existing, must be equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers.
Source: FiremansFund.com
Cool by the Pool
Here Are Five Of The Hottest Trends In Pool Area Design Or Renovation:
• Natural elements: From graceful waterfalls to carefully placed rocks, the natural look is always a classic—and a relaxing respite for guests.
• Negative-edge pools: Also known as infinity edge, zero edge, disappearing edge or vanishing edge, these pools are constructed with the visual effect of endless water.
• Shade: More families are spending time together at the pool, eating meals and socializing poolside. This, combined with added public awareness of the hazards of being unprotected from the sun’s rays, means that additional seating under umbrellas or cabanas will be an appreciated amenity at your pool.
• Spraygrounds: Slides, fountains and sprays are no longer just the domain of water parks. With the added emphasis on family in many facilities, these activities are a particular hit with the younger crowd.
• Wet decks: Guests receive a beachlike experience by having their feet in the water while lounging in a deck chair.
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