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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JUNE 2015 5 By Leighton McLaughlin There's a whole lot of improvement going on around here. The Lodge swimming pool has been renovated. The Lodge fountain has been replaced, the Summit is getting a state-of- the-art solar heating system for its pool, and the 1528 Building (old sales office) has been revamped and is about to open. The 10-year-old Lodge pool was showing its age around the edges. "The coping at the top of the pool was the main problem," said Renee Watkins, the HOA's facility manager. "It was cracked, the rebar inside was rusting and the rust was discoloring the coping." To prevent that from happening again, the new coping has been reinforced with fiber glass rather than steel. In addition, the pool was replastered and retiled and new, low-energy LED lights were installed, "which will save a lot of money over the years," said Watkins. She said the "Safety and Facilities Committee and the HOA try to use long-lasting materials" that will extend the life of the innovations and save even more money in the long run. The pool "should be good for at least another 10 years and maybe 15," she said. The Lodge fountain was cracked and its pump was broken. "And, we live in Blowmont, after all," said Watkins. The wind blew fountain spray all over the Lodge grounds and chemicals in the water were causing problems. The new fountain uses less water and less energy. The new design reduces spray which cuts back on loss of recycled water from evaporation. Also, a new filter system has been installed that lowers the cost of maintenance and cleaning. The bench that rings the fountain has been replaced to make it more comfortable. The Summit – which opened earlier this year – has been turned over from the builder K. Hovnanian Homes to the HOA. A solar-powered pool heating system is being installed at zero cost to Four Seasons. "It is 100 percent paid for by a rebate from Southern Cal Edison," said Watkins. The system should provide enough free electricity "to heat the pool for at least 10 months of the year – and we're hoping for 12 months," said Watkins. The 1528 Building (named for its address on Four Seasons Circle) was completely redesigned by the Rec Center North Ad Hoc Committee of homeowners and includes a new Board Room, a new Computer Room and five other new areas for resident activities. The building is entered by a walkway from the Lodge and is dominated by a large central hall that can be used for any number of purposes — classes, meetings and entertainment. It is fitted with audio-visual equipment and has a 70-inch TV on the main wall. The central hall is ringed by six smaller rooms. One is the Board Room and another is a Computer Room which will have four new computers, down from the 10 now in the Lodge, to reflect resident use. The other four rooms vary in size, from a capacity of 10 people to about 40 and will be available for committee and club meetings, games, private gatherings and classes. One of the smaller rooms will double as the command center for the Emergency Preparedness Committee in the event of an emergency. The radios and other equipment will be locked in cabinets unless in use. The room has large double doors to allow specific emergency functions to expand into the central hall yet be in close contact with the command center. The administrative offices will be on the north end of the building with a separate entrance to the adjacent parking lot. In addition to staff work areas, the offices will include a reception area, a meeting room where residents can confer privately with staff members, and a kitchen. Ideas are being considered for use of the space created by moving the administrative offices and the Board Room from the Lodge. One thought is to expand the Bistro into some of the vacated space. Exactly how that will be done is still in the planning stages, said Watkins. There will continue to be a reception desk at the Lodge entrance and an office behind it for the activities director. The Lodge Card Room is also going to be reworked into a general purpose room. It will still be used for cards, but the present card tables will be replaced with lighter, folding tables to allow greater flexibility in use of the room. Watkins said any other changes in the Lodge are tentative. Lots Of Improvements Finished; Even More On Tap For Future The new, water-saving, power-saving fountain at the Lodge

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