Some of you who follow my blog (and for which I am deeply grateful!) may have observed an unusual period of silence. Do not be disturbed. Embry and I are fine. I seem to have found myself bogged down by a combination of aggravated Trump-despair combined with my latest cause to try to preserve a swimming pool at Collington, the latter activity putting me at odds with the establishment.
For the record, we love Collington. The grounds are gorgeous, our cottage terrific, the food good, the staff excellent, the residents friendly with interesting careers and fully engaged with the world, and we are making new friends. One could not ask for more.
Except for one thing: the permanent loss of a 25-meter, indoor lap pool, which ironically was one of my chief recommendations when I did the initial feasibility and programming work for Collington in 1981 and which has continued to be very popular for a group of 50-70 people who use the pool several days a week for water aerobics and lap swimming. I have been swimming laps myself for about 30 minutes per swim, three times a week and love it. It is also important for attracting new residents.
The reason the pool will soon disappear is to make room for a new assisted living center, which will replace the original, which most agree is outmoded. This is all part of an ambitious initiative called “Collington Vision 2030,” which will add 55 new units, enlarge the dining room and bar area, add a whole new section called “Main Street” along with smaller upgrades and additions. The problem is that the pool will not be replaced (though a new site for it has been identified) due to insufficient funding. The total project cost is estimated to be $165 million without the new pool, which would add another $5 million to the price tag. Management has stated that the rollout of the new plan is essentially final even though residents were excluded from the initial planning process, leaving many residents distressed. So far, no budging though I have pointed out that the cost of $5 million amounts to only three percent of the total cost, not including the pool and that this gap could be addressed with minor changes to the overall scope.
What is especially troubling to many people is that management has stated emphatically that if the residents want a replacement pool, the residents should pay for it along with providing funding for enlarging the auditorium, a total cost burden to residents of almost $10 million. Except for perhaps a very few people, residents here are not wealthy. We are retired social workers, high school teachers, college professors, doctors and nurses, researchers, engineers, clergy, small businesspeople, and government and foreign service workers. We have writers, artists, musicians and singers but few, if any, multi-millionaires. The cars in the parking lot are mostly old and not expensive, and many are hybrids or EVs. Requiring residents to raise funds to replace amenities taken away by management with minimal input from residents is unheard of in the senior living industry as far as I can tell and a complete mystery as to why Collington and Kendal are taking a hard line position. I have not thrown in the towel yet.
So rabble rousing about this potential train wreck has been keeping me busy and is why I haven’t blogged recently. But a lot of other things are happening here which I am very happy about. I was asked to do a single person show in the main front lobby area of some of my photographs, nine in black and white and nine in color, and that exhibit opened yesterday. Next month I have been asked to do a “neighbor talk” in the auditorium. And this Friday is the popular annual Collington Sailing Regatta, where six miniature skipjacks compete in our small lake. I have been practicing for several weeks along with five other skippers, who like me have electronic devices that communicate with these 40-pound replicas, adjusting the sails and rudders. It is fun but very tricky and a whole lot harder than the real thing. The entire community comes out and people bet on the winner. Stay tuned for the results. (I came in DFL in the last practice, due I argue, to a weak battery on my controls.)
Don’t give up, Joe! It makes zero sense they would destroy the pool. What a travesty and loss that would be!
There must be a way to redesign the plans to retain the pool and have the best of both worlds… You can enlist a coalition of residents in your favor to show your numbers and support, while also drawing upon your group’s talents to brainstorm and come up with possible alternatives.
Start a petition! Pass out flyers! Hold meetings! Write letters! Organize demonstrations! Hold sit-ins, strikes! Get the press involved! You guys wrote the book on all these things. Apply them again here, just like ever! It will bring everybody together.
As you know, we’ve had some success in our neighborhood doing these things when dealing with local bureaucracy, which can often be slow to move and resistant to changing their plans. But you can succeed – redouble your efforts, don’t give up!
Oh I hope so much that you prevail in your battle to save the pool! I wholeheartedly agree with you on your efforts — it shouldn’t be the residents who pay for it! I’m also very excited about the exhibit of your gorgeous photographs. There are so many amazing ones how did you choose only 18? Giving a speech! And you are also finding a way to sail. It all sounds fun and like life is continuing to be full and expansive.
I have to say, Collington sounds like an ideal place to retire. Here you are, continuing to be you – activist, organizer, artist, speaker, and sailer… Wonderful!!! Sign me up for Collington! (as long as there is a pool!!!)
This is so amazing! I’m thrilled to see you continue to develop and impact others through your activism and artistic, speaking, organizing, and sailing talents! I completely agree that Collington should keep its pool. I personally am interested in retiring to Collington, but only with a pool! Have a fabulous time at the Regatta – it sounds like so much fun!!!