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THE AMERICAN CLUB
SEP / OCT 2016
PRESIDENT
FROM THE
I recently came across an interesting quote on the
wallpaper of a quirky hotel I had spent a few days at
in Amsterdam. In essence, it said, “Problems are nothing
more than opportunities.” The phrase stuck with me for
some reason and, as I pondered it over the next few
days, I couldn’t help but reflect upon both its truth and
its ambiguity. Indeed, one person’s problem is often
another person’s opportunity to provide a solution.
With this in mind, and at what I have to say is one of the
most challenging periods of the redevelopment project
thus far, I’d like to thank numerous, almost countless,
Members of The Club for stepping up to provide their
time, talents and thoughts selflessly, freely, and without
any expectation of compensation or recognition. I am
particularly thankful to those who’ve cooperatively and
openly challenged the team when they, based on their
experience, think we’re about to walk off a cliff. Conflict
in those situations, managed openly through debate
and with mutual respect, should after all result in better
solutions and is something to be sought out, not avoided.
And that is exactly what we’ve tried to do with the 16
focus group sessions we’ve had, the many surveys we’ve
run, and the sometimes seemingly endless Design Review
Committee (DRC), Project Control Group (PCG), and
General Committee (GC) meetings we’ve held for the
project. Through these mechanisms we’ve gotten a lot
of information. And now, going back to my statement
about being in the middle of a challenging period, we
are continuing to act upon it.
One of the biggest struggles with a project of this
nature is the endless possibilities it presents. We could,
for example, have decided to build a five-story building
on Scott’s Road, tear down the Claymore building, and
put in a parking lot…although I doubt even that would
have ended complaints about parking (that’s a joke).
Alternatively we could have (and did) consider leaving
things largely as they are, but instead, decided on
something different – building a flatter building with pools
on the roof. But now comes the hard part: the details.
This is where the hardest work and the most debate will
come into play as everyone will have an opinion that
we (the GC and volunteers leading this effort as well as
the professional consultants we’re working with) will sort
through and compile, knowing full well that it’s impossible
to please every Member about every aspect of the
project. This is not to say that we won’t do our very best; it’s
simply a reflection of the fact that satisfying everyone and
fulfilling everyone’s objectives, dreams, and subjective
desires about each facet of the project is just impossible.
Indeed what we are ultimately trying to do is to create
a facility together that meets the majority of Members’
needs and desires in as many areas as possible.
So, where are we and what happens next? In August,
we finished the schematic design for the project.* Many
Member volunteers, committee members, management,
and our consultants were meeting throughout the
summer to finesse and finalize this phase of the project.
The schematic design moves us from the master plan
(which designates the location of outlets without any
design detail) to more detailed room layouts that include
indicative furniture arrangements. You will see restroom
layouts identifying the number of toilets, showers, and
changing rooms being provided, as well as the number
of rooms and their functional layouts within the spa,
youth, and gym areas. You will not, however, see the
colors of the chairs or even their styling yet. That part is
yet to come.
The GC met in August to consider and approve the
schematic design. We expect to share this design
with Members in Town Halls at the end of August/early
September. It will also be available to all Members for
viewing at The Club and via the redevelopment e-blast.
With this complete, the development will then move to
detailed design planning where committees begin to
talk about finishes, floor treatments, wall coverings and
the like. Once that is complete, months from now, The
Club will move into the interior design of the spaces.
In tandem with the development of the detailed design
we continue to prepare for Phase 2 of the redevelopment