Landscaping

Friday, we spent much of the day getting the plantings in place around the pump house building. It was a long time coming. I am tired of looking at that lonely building. All of the trees and bushes are in place. Planted were 3 white firs, 3 blue spruce, 3 lilac bushes and 7 red twig dogwood bushes. Next week we will be putting the final touches on the irrigation and planting the native grasses.

Grand Traverse Landscaping was a big help with the plantings and they are off to a great start with managing many of the landscape beds around the property.

Second Assistant Tony Giroux and Landscape Manager Stephanie Bibbens worked hard all week to prepare this area for planting.

One At A Time

Yesterday, the cart path on the 18th hole and around the pumphouse was completed. Now we can start moving forward with dressing up that building and make it fit into the scenery. The landscaping will come next once we get into to a rhythm of day-to-day operations on the golf course.

First we need to bring in soil for planting and tie in the slopes with the new path. Then the irrigation lines will be installed for plantings. Many areas will be planted with some native grasses around the pumphouse buildings and along the creek. Spruce trees, honeysuckle and dogwoods will also be planted around the buildings to bring back that "mountain touch".

I would like the soil temperatures to increase before incorporating new plants.

Pumphouse Update

If you didn't catch it, the pump house made the cover of the Vail Daily yesterday. Pretty nice press! Thanks to Scott O'Connell (VRD Facilities Manager) and his efforts to get this off the ground. Melanie Wong of the Daily, wrote an excellent article about the building and I credit her to making light of this achievement in Vail. We have to start somewhere and the possibilities with this product are endless, especially right here in Vail. "Green" can be a term thrown around loosely these days, everyone likes to hear it, but you have to understand that most of the world is actually "green and being green". Every little bit helps getting to that ultimate goal. Through projects such as this, the VRD seeks qualities such as leadership, value, efficiency and enjoyment. Skeptics aside, this is a milestone not only for Vail, but for the Vail Recreation District. The VRD is comprised of a strong team of professionals that strive to put together the best recreational experiences for guests and locals of the Vail Valley. We have been doing it for years and will continue to do so. Click here to learn about the vast recreational opportunities the VRD offers.

Part 2

The first day of the pump house construction went extremely smooth. Even though the delivery for the building was about 45 minutes behind, the Weitz construction company came through and had all of the walls in place by 5pm. A threat of rain came through the valley and called for some cover. As you see here the first couple of panels are in place. I promise you I will post a lot more pictures and info later today and tomorrow.

Pumphouse, Part 1

Beginning at 6.30 this morning the installation for the pump building has begun. As of 11.30 am the truck has been unloaded and panels have been put on a number of flat bed trucks to be carted to the site from the clubhouse. The crane is now en route back to the pump house area and will be unloading the wall panels. The panels next to the electric boxes will be installed first so that the electricity can be connected once again to the pump station. My goal is to have the ability to water again by 3pm. So far a little behind that schedule but things are going smooth, which at this point is more important.

Great Scott

Scott O'Connell, (left) the VRD Building Maintenance Manager is meeting with another Scott from HP Geotech from Glenwood Springs, CO. They are in the excavated trench for the pump house and are discussing the soil profile and necessary fill requirements for the building. We have been given the "green light" to continue and our soils look great at that depth.

O'Connell has been making sure the building is installed properly, so I can focus on what is inside the building. Thanks for all your help.

The Foundation

What you are looking at is the soil profile of the pump house site. As you can see that red clayey and organic material on the bottom needed further excavation for the footings and the concrete pour. It is critical that we ensure the proper balance and structure for this building. The pump site is the heart of the irrigation system. Ultimately we'll have three 100 horsepower pumps operating this new system. New screened fill will be incorporated prior to pouring concrete.

Silt Fence

The first step to constructing a pump building in this area is to install silt fencing. This fence was installed today to prevent any contamination to the Gore Creek. Monday, we will have the area surveyed for excavation and begin to remove about 4 feet of soil. The soil will be screened on site to use in another location. Due to soil reports and the demand for the building, material will need to be imported prior to the concrete slab being poured. Soil tests will also be done throughout the excavation period to ensure the best results.