Preliminary plans to build an outdoor swim club at the Boulder Pointe Golf Club and Conference Center in Waterstone were discussed at last week’s Oxford Township Planning Commission meeting.
‘We’re looking at doing a ‘fun pool? type of thing,? said Pat Conroy, president of Conroy & Associates, Inc., who spoke on behalf of Boulder Pointe. ‘It’s not going to be your usual six-lane, lap pool.?
Conroy & Associates, Inc. is a Rochester Hills firm that does landscape and golf course architecture along with site planning. The firm is designing this project for Boulder Pointe.
As of right now, the tentative plan consists of a ‘free-form? shaped pool, not a traditional rectangle, about 150-160 feet long and 75-80 feet wide, according to Conroy.
It would be located on an existing grassy area between Boulder Pointe’s parking lot and W. Market St., northeast of the clubhouse facility.
Because the focus of this amenity would be families and kids, preliminary plans for the pool call for water slide, splash pad, wading pool and a lazy river, a water ride with a gentle current that allows swimmers to drift along in an inner tube or other flotation device.
A seating area surrounding the pool covered by 11 giant umbrellas (or ‘Funbrellas?) will make it easy for parents and grandparents to relax while keeping an eye on the kids.
In addition to the pool, Boulder Pointe wishes to construct a 5,000-square-foot building with basement next to the pool which would contain changing rooms for women, men and families, restrooms, storage, vending area, arcade, food service/preparation area, guest check-in area and covered patio.
The pool area would be surrounded by some type of decorative,yet functional fence.
To encourage pedestrian traffic, the swim club would be easily accessible from the safety path along W. Market St. and have bicycle racks.
Use of the pool would be confined to those who pay a membership fee as part of the swim club. However, memberships would be available to all township residents, not just those living in Waterstone. ‘It’s not exclusive (to) anyone,? Conroy said.
Based on current factors, membership capacity would be limited to 300 people, which Conroy expects will be primarily families with children.
If all goes according to plan, Conroy said Boulder Pointe expects to open the pool in spring 2009. The pool would be open just prior to Memorial Day weekend to about the second or third week of September. The rest of the year it would remain closed.
Hours of operation would likely be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Conroy told commissioners.
To accommodate the influx of swimmers, preliminary plans call for Boulder Pointe to add 66 parking spaces between the proposed pool area and existing parking lot.
Parking and pool area combined would encompass about two acres in all.
It was noted that in order to permit an outdoor, members-only pool there, the special land use approval originally granted for the golf course and clubhouse would probably have to be amended to include this new commercial recreational use. Such action would require a public hearing.
Planning commissioners also want to examine how converting this space from green space to a swimming pool and parking will affect the amount of open space that was required by the township for Waterstone’s original approval.
‘I do recall that the golf course was used as open space for the entire Waterstone development,? said Commission Chair Don Silvester. However, he noted, ‘I don’t think two acres is going to be a big deal,? considering the golf course covers about 260-270 acres.