Something good in Winding Oaks

Despite the fact that activity at the Winding Oaks Pool has ground to a halt now for over ten days, the area surrounding the pool and the adjacent pond has been busy today. Valley Crest Landscaping crews have put on a massive cleanup and trimming campaign, both in the "nature walk" area immediately surrounding the pool, and the back yards of homes on the "even address side" of our street. When I went for a morning walk to see if any progress on the pool was evident, I noted two large stake trucks loaded to the top with cuttings and organic debris.

Neighborhood readers of my blog have followed my frustration with the pool project, but from reading Mark Hullinger's "Pool Project Update", volume 3, dated July 22, 2011 I can see the Board cashiered Kent Kimes, and the newly hired project engineer found sixteen (16) principal errors in the Kimes plan. So, giving them the benefit of the doubt, I can understand some "stop, look and listen" delay, but for something which was promised for completion in 2010, I don't think anybody could blame residents for being unhappy with decisions made in the past to start down this road with an unprepared guide.

But, let's get back to something positive - the work today by Valley Crest. Palm fronds have been trimmed and hedges have been manicured and groomed - the place really looks good right now, and the work has been done aided by the presence of cooling showers in the area from time to time today. Valley Crest has also been active in a beautification project behind 3401 where the well belonging to the master association has been installed and land cleared for fresh plantings. That project is paid for by Bay Isles Association, not Winding Oaks, but we benefit in added beauty to the nearby entrance to our neighborhood.