POA prepares to reopen Branchwood
Although he refused to give an exact date, POA general manager Tom Judson assured a crowd that the renovations at Branchwood Clubhouse are on schedule and on budget.
Judson was leading a tour of about 150 members eager to see the expanded clubhouse. The work will be complete sometime in September, he said, but he wouldn’t be more specific, reminding his audience of the many delays in opening both Lakepoint event center and the Bella Vista Bar and Grill.
The biggest change at Branchwood is the addition of a large, airy room on the back of the building that will be used to house exercise equipment. The room that used to house exercise equipment will now be open for classes, he explained.
The indoor pool area has a new ceiling, he said, and both locker rooms were renovated, with new tile put in. The tile will stand up better to the humid environment of the locker rooms.
The equipment in the new exercise room will include some brand new machines and some of the old machines, recreation director Joan Glubczynski said. It will be equivalent to Riordan, she assured the crowd.
The downstairs isn’t changing, she said. There are racketball courts in the basement that will remain. They are also used for pickleball, she said. They may be getting a new floor in the 2019 budget.
Outside, the hedge was removed from in front of the building’s doors for easier access. New playground equipment has already been installed, although one member of the audience reported his grandchildren don’t like the new equipment.
The large crowd was divided into four groups to tour the building and most of them seemed pleased by what they saw.