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Behind The Scenes Of the Sports Facility Upgrades · Bonita Bay Club's Podcast

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Hello, Bonita Bay Club.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: Welcome to another series of our podcast.
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: There's a lot happening at the Sports Center right now.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Today we are visited by Paula, Director of Sports, and Michael Stevenson, sports facility maintenance manager.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: They're going to be giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the improvements underway and what members can expect to look forward to this season.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: So welcome.
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: Thanks, Becky.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: Great to be here.
• 0:35
  Speaker: It is.
• 0:35
  Speaker: Thank you.
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Today we're specifically talking about the tennis courts, correct, Paula?
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: Oh boy.
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: I think our members have heard so much about what's happening at Bocce and so much about what's happening at Pickaball.
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: I mean, you can't miss it.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: Eight Bocce Courts being built, and then the pickleball brand new building with the skybox.
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: But we haven't talked much all summer about tennis because we've done some things that have been seen and unseen, as we like to call them.
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: But we've had a couple members inquire about them.
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: So you were kind enough to suggest we do a podcast.
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: So here we are.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: And that's why we have podcasts to keep our members informed.
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: So let's talk a little bit about the resurfacing of the quartz that I know that you do annually.
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: Michael, can you expand on that a little bit?
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: What happens every year?
• 1:22
  Speaker: Well, the full process, they pull up the top clay, they scrape it all up, they pull up the lines, and they get it all out of there, and then they roll for almost two days because over time the quartz get soft, especially during the summer with the amount of moisture.
• 1:38
  Speaker: They really need to firm that up.
• 1:40
  Speaker: So once that's done, they'll put the new lines down.
• 1:43
  Speaker: They'll be nice and flat.
• 1:44
  Speaker: They'll drop some algae side to keep algae from growing.
• 1:48
  Speaker: Then they'll drop about three tons of clay back onto it.
• 1:51
  Speaker: And then they do a bunch of spreading and rolling and spreading.
• 1:55
  Speaker: And that kind of just gives us a new surface to play on nice and firm.
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: And this has to be done annually?
• 2:02
  Speaker: Yes.
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: It is an interesting process because when you consider a brand new court, it gets about 40 tons of clay.
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: So you think that we're not putting near the amount on because, as Michael says, as they roll it and then as they put new clay on, and then we begin to drag and pull that clay up, we get a brand new fresh court that plays great.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: I mean, it's got to be rolled again, right, Michael?
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: But it really plays great.
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: The members will notice there's enough clay on there to slide, which we always try to do, but it feels very comfortable because if you don't do this, the quartz bind and they become hard over time.
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: And if you don't do it very often, they'll start to feel like a hard court with a little bit of clay on top, which we don't want.
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: Which we don't want.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: Okay.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: Um, I know in my notes here I have that you've mentioned laser graded, that they're being laser graded.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: Now, for those of us who have no idea what that means, which I don't, can you explain that a little bit?
• 3:01
  Speaker: Well, they use a uh piece of equipment called a precision laser level that they put on the quartz, and it actually sends directions to a tractor-mounted scraper, and it automatically moves up and down to the depth to re-slope the courts, and it actually takes a lot more material off the quartz.
• 3:20
  Speaker: And it just makes it a nice good slope to the drains that we have.
• 3:24
  Speaker: We do that about every four years, which is about industry standard that we've found that we need to do it for our courts as well.
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: And adding in the fact that Michael knows all about the preparation and all they do, but to explain to our members a little bit, over time, a court has about an inch slope every 30 feet.
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: So it depends which way you drain that court, but over time, how much the total uh slope is, but over time that court flattens out.
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: So you drag it, people play, the weather, the wind, the rain, the court flattens out and it doesn't have that same slope.
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: So it begins to not just play different, but it doesn't drain as well after a rain.
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: And really, contrary to what everybody thinks, most of the water should run off a court versus go into the court.
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: So it's really important for the long-term health of a tennis court.
• 4:18
  Speaker: And for the difference between just a regular resurfacing and a laser grade resurfacing, when they do that regular resurfacing, they're just scraping most of that top layer off.
• 4:28
  Speaker: So it's not really re-sloping.
• 4:30
  Speaker: It does help for the year, but eventually over the couple years, it does tend to build up and kind of level out the court.
• 4:37
  Speaker: So that's what we do every couple of years.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: Okay, so the laser grading it increases the slope.
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: Okay.
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: That had leveled out over time.
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: So now we've got the slope back and they'll drain better and we're good to go.
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: Members are going to be loving it.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: Wow.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: Who knew?
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: Okay, so members will notice new windscreen going up with our updated club logo.
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: What can they expect to see?
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: Well, what we talk about is we've had so many seen and unseen projects at the facility.
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: And again, it's pretty easy to see what's happening down at Pickleball and Bocce, but many of the things that we're doing, members might not see.
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: So the court laser grading and resurfacing.
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: We've added new drains on about four of the courts.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: So that'll help.
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: We've reconnected drains to get the water off of there even better.
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: But some of the fun and exciting scene projects that everybody's sort of buzzing about are the back bathrooms, right, Michael?
• 5:33
  Speaker: We've added we've got a lot going on back there.
• 5:36
  Speaker: A total upgrade.
• 5:37
  Speaker: They've gutted them.
• 5:38
  Speaker: They're going to be new flooring, new features.
• 5:42
  Speaker: And the big thing is air conditioning that I'm sure everyone will be excited about.
• 5:46
  Speaker: So, and that takes quite a bit of work.
• 5:49
  Speaker: Um, they used to be open-air bathrooms.
• 5:52
  Speaker: So the windows and doors had to be removed, and new ones that can be sealed will be put in.
• 5:58
  Speaker: We had to get rid of the skylights as well.
• 6:00
  Speaker: And in doing that, they actually put new shingles on the roof as well, since they were already up there working on those.
• 6:05
  Speaker: So I think a well welcomed upgrade to those bathrooms for sure.
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it is very nice because those bathrooms have had some cosmetic things along the years, but they're about 26 years old.
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: So they really needed uh, like Michael says, a new roof and all the other exciting components that are going in it.
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: So a huge shout out to Burton, our director of engineering and his team.
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: He's great.
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: Is that storage area going to be air conditioned too?
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: Storage area is air conditioned, which will help with you know, rusting of equipment and what we can keep back there because storage is always an issue at any facility.
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: So that's really nice.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: And a kind of a bonus will be it's usually about 125 degrees in that back area for the 10 days or so that we're doing the five stuff.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: So you're gonna also appreciate the fact that it's air conditioned.
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: Yes, exactly.
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: Um, how about the court gazebos?
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: I see there's a lot of stuff going on with those.
• 7:05
  Speaker: Yeah, so that's a big project.
• 7:06
  Speaker: We have 14 total for the tennis courts, and they have all been taken out and new gazebos in bigger posts and actual bigger gazebos as well.
• 7:15
  Speaker: And they've made them taller, allowing us to put ceiling fans in them as well, which I know has been uh requested.
• 7:22
  Speaker: So, and then I'm sure the members are going to appreciate that electrical in there as well for things.
• 7:28
  Speaker: So now we can have the ball machine pretty much on any court that we need.
• 7:32
  Speaker: And also we're moving, relocating the water fountains on the actual pad to kind of make more space on the gazebos now with actually putting in new fountains as well.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: Okay, nice.
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: So again, we learn every time we do something on property, right?
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: So the lessons we learned from pickleball were one, our members really like the higher gazebo, the frame being higher, so that we could put fans in.
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: And we've started experimenting with smaller water fountains there, which seems to just give everybody, you know, obviously a little more room.
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: So that's one of those scene projects that we're really excited about.
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: And then you touched on the windscreens, which are supposed to go up this weekend.
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: They're going to start that project, right, Michael?
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: And we're very excited because again, no department, no matter how great they are or club, can do everything all at once.
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: And so what we found works for us is one year we'll do tennis windscreens, the next year we'll do pickleball.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: So this is the tennis turn.
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: So we've been able to catch the new logo, which I know our members are gonna love.
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: You help design it and do the colorways with it.
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: So it looks really snappy.
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: So we're holding our breath for it to come out great on those windscreens.
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: And then next year we'll follow up again.
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: It'll be pickleball's turns, and we'll do the windscreens on those with the new colorway.
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: So again, we won't be able to capture everything that we do at any of the sports facilities because you just can't do it all at once.
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: But slowly but surely we'll integrate that new logo with the gold design, the different backgrounds.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: So thanks for updating that for us.
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I think members will see that all across the board, and I think they'll they'll really see how nice it's gonna look.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: So, Paula, with all these improvements and Michael, I know, I know how hard all of you work out there, and I see you in with the heat, and it's not an easy job, but what can members expect?
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: I mean, I I think they're gonna see a real improvement in everything that and all the hard work that you're putting into this.
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: You know, our goal is for when the members come back from from the north, is they're totally surprised.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: I mean, what we want to do is make their day special every single day.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: And I think with all the improvements going on at the sports center, they're gonna feel it's unbelievable.
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: It's gonna be an adult playground from quarter of eight in the morning till 10 at night.
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: They're gonna be playing one sport or another.
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: And so we're really excited about that.
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: And we're really also very excited about the potential of people that we haven't seen and we haven't been able to touch as much at the sports center.
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: So we think we're gonna see some people that don't play sports as much enjoy bocce.
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: And then we think we're gonna see a lot of the golf members.
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: But I know before we end this podcast that I did want to congratulate Michael for the position.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: He had worked with his dad for a decade, and his dad said, My goal is to make Michael as good as I am.
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: And I said, Well, you succeeded.
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: He's actually better.
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: So I wanted to officially welcome him with all the members and tell him and all of you all that we're excited, we're proud of him.
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: We know he's gonna excel.
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: These eight bocce courts are gonna add another level of workload to him and to scheduling.
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: So he knows he's up to it, and I know he's up to it.
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: So congratulations, my dad.
• 10:51
  Speaker: Thank you, Paula.
• 10:52
  Speaker: And I think especially working here almost 11 years and working under my dad, it's made it the transition was definitely easy.
• 10:58
  Speaker: I know there will be some hard things, but I think especially with all these projects, we've been one foot in front of the other, and I think it's been going pretty well.
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: I agree.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: We've been on top of it.
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I know your dad really well because I've known him for many years, but it's nice to really sit down and talk to you and hopefully we'll get to know you better with the Fine Mark tournament coming up in May, right?
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: Is it the collegiate tournament coming up in November?
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: That's our first one that we're really excited about.
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: So we're hoping members are getting excited about hosting the players and sponsoring, you know, the different teams.
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: So we've got a lot of excitement and buzz happening.
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: When's the date of the collegiate?
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: November 6th is when they come in.
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: And then it's Friday, Saturday, Sunday that they play.
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: So all members that are gonna be here for that event, come on out.
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: Come on out and watch it.
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: Always great to see.
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, totally.
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: Some really good schools.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: People are gonna be loving it.
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: So we're excited.
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: Lots happening at sports, never a dull moment, right, Michael?
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: Well, thank you, Michael, and thank you, Paula.
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: And we will talk some more later on.