May 2022 Newsletter

May 1, 2022    News, People of the Park   

Changes coming…

A Summer of Improvements

By

Dale Dauten
George Igualt, head of the management company that oversees operations at Silveridge, recently filled us in on the park improvements planned for this summer. It’s an ambitious plan, with four big goals:

 

THE STREETS

First, the park’s streets will be getting a refresh, with sections of the asphalt undergoing “R&R” – that’s remove and replace (where the top couple of inches is taken up and fresh asphalt is then put down). This will happen in those places around the park with the greatest wear. (We learned that while asphalt is mostly impervious to regular automobile traffic, the turning of the wheels of weightier vehicles, like construction traffic and RVs, eventually cause damage that grows worse over the years.) The new asphalt will then sealed and new striping added. Elsewhere around the park, cracks in the roadway will be filled.
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NOTE: The work on the streets will begin in early May. This will, of course, entail some street restrictions. Watch the internal TV system for continuing updates.

 

THE POOL

Over time, pool chemicals, along with suntan lotion, cause the plaster on swimming pools to degrade. So pools need to be replastered. And it’s that time at Silveridge. But, George tells us, this won’t be just more of the same; rather, this will be a chance to upgrade the pool with a “pebble” finish, known as PebbleTec (after the company that introduced it, PebbleTechnology International).

 

(Photo: While the Silveridge pool is still a welcome sight on a hot day, if you look closely you can see the wear in the plaster on the pool’s bottom)
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The pool at Silveridge is classified as a “commercial pool” and thus subject to safety regulations, including one that dictates pool color: it must be white with color on the steps to increase their visibility. So the new surface will be white, but the new surface will add texture and will be less porous and thus less likely to stain or be degraded by pool chemicals.

 

THE NEW OASIS

There’s one area of the park that has struck many residents as underutilized and, let’s face it, not particularly attractive: the horseshoe pits. As George told us, “We keep it as nice as we can, but the boards get shabby and it’s a lot of concrete, gravel and sand – it’s just not a good fit for that prime location between the pool and pickleball. So we’re going to create a beautiful new patio area, using pavers along with planters for flowers, and then we’ll add tables and chairs.

 

And, while George isn’t ready to announce it yet, he’s working with new Activities Director, Lu Way, to bring a lively new use to the new area. We’ll pass along that announcement before next season.

 

(Photos: The horseshoe pit contrasted with the area next to it)
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THE STAGE

Finally, speaking of activities, the ballroom stage will be redone. George says, “The stage has worn down over time and it’s starting to look old. But it’s real wood, which isn’t that common anymore, and so the stage will sanded, with any boards that can’t be saved will be replaced, then it will all be stained and shined, with new trim, and it should look great.”

 

SUMMING UP

George said of these planned summer upgrades, “Silveridge is a premier park and everyone in the ownership group and in our management team has the highest standards for it. We not only want to keep it up, but we want to keep making it better.”