Duane Dub
In mid-July, Dave Meyers began to see his vision come to life as work started on expanding the cart parking lot west of the circle drive clubhouse entrance.
“With so many more golfers and activities taking place at the clubhouse, it was more and more challenging to find a parking place for your cart,” he shared. This is especially true on colder mornings when the golfers all gather inside before heading out to their assigned holes. “I saw it as a problem that needed addressing.”
“The west side golf cart parking area never worked very well. I started beating my brain to change this area to make it more user-friendly. The first plan was to include seven car parking spaces, but to do that, we needed engineering drawings. I found two residents who helped me with the funds for those drawings. But when we finally got the cost estimates for a properly-engineered wall to support the auto parking as well, the price was out of sight!
So, construction has begun to add 19 more cart parking spaces and widen the path between the circle and the west lot, enabling two-way traffic as well.
This is no small feat, as all the existing asphalt will remain, but the new expansion area will be paved with a 4-inch thick layer of concrete, which will minimize degradation and future maintenance, while maintaining the current contour of the area. As the lot expands to the north and west, a 42-inch high retaining wall will be built to hold the roadside landscaping level. Additionally, the walls between the circle lot and the west lot will be modified to accommodate the double-width path between them.
“When the auto parking spaces were removed from the vision, our committee came up with the plan which did not require a permit or inspections,” Dave continued. “We found a contractor who was willing to do the complete job for $16,000. Both the HOA and the Golf Club supported the vision but were unable to provide the required funding.”
Undaunted, Dave decided to come up with a way to raise the money on his own. Many of us saw the 3D model and donation box that was on display in the clubhouse for the past few months. “To my surprise, 37 different people came up with the $16,000. This includes $1,756 from the HOA and $1,000 from the Lions Club. We had raised all the money by June 22, which was a prerequisite before we could begin work on the lot.”
The construction may require a rerouting of carts between the 9th and 10th holes for a very short period and some blocked parking in the circle drive to allow for trucks and other equipment.
Initiating projects to improve the SunBird clubhouse and grounds is not new to Dave. “About 10 years ago, the Project Review and Planning Committees (PRPC), which I am a part of, decided to try and improve the pro shop entrance which was formerly the trash pickup area. We had a resident architect who made drawings that we used to get HOA approval. They agreed to do it and pay for it, along with help from funds from PRPC.
“The next project was to find a space for HOA maintenance equipment that was located adjacent to the new pro shop entrance. A new area was found next to the parking lot of the post office where it is located now. Relocating the maintenance equipment also gave us a few more golf cart spaces,” he explained.
Both the SunBird Golf Club and HOA, and all the residents, are grateful to Dave Meyers for not only having this vision, but also the determination to make life better for all of us!