It’s President’s Day weekend of the snowiest winter in the history of the Philadelphia area. We’ve been shoveling snow for a week and just heard there’s more on the horizon!

There’s so much snow that ‘I can’t take anymore snow!’ has become a recurring sentence in most conversations.

Here’s a thought to help take your mind off of the snow and cold: You’re relaxing on a chaise lounge soaking in some rays, just enough of a breeze to keep you totally comfortable, beautiful and refreshing blue water just a few steps away…perfection. And the best part is that it’s all just a short walk or car ride away. It’s Maple Manor, and the anticipation of another summer of fun.

The Board of Directors is looking forward to the upcoming season. We meet regularly during the off-season to evaluate all facets of the club to help ensure that Maple Manor remains the safe, comfortable and fun club that our members expect and deserve.

One of the big changes you’ll notice this year is that all of the equipment that supported the air dome has been removed. This includes the fenced-in blower unit that was located between the baby pool and the shallow end of the main pool. With the opening of the new UDHS pool, the school district no longer needs to use Maple Manor. The dome and all of the equipment have been sold to Temple University and will be used at its Ambler Campus pool.

This will be the third year of the 4 year assessment ($100/yr/family) that was put in place to offset the pool improvements made in ‘08, including the new filtration/stainless steel gutter system, refurbishing the bottom and sides of the main pool with a slip-resistant material, and concrete decking around the pool. Please remember that these improvements were made to address members’ concerns about water quality issues and to reduce the long-term costs of maintaining our heavily used pool. All costs associated with preparing the pool for the installation of the air dome were paid for by the school district (as were the costs for taking down the dome).

We’re please to announce that the annual dues will stay unchanged for 2010.

Darren Gamel will be returning for his 5th year as pool manager. Darren’s done a fantastic job and is working closely with the personnel committee to make sure we have a guard and snack bar staff that are conscientious, friendly, and always looking out for the safety of our members.

In closing, I want to acknowledge the dedication and service of two people who have stepped down from the Board of Directors. Dennis Fitzgerald and Mike Rockwood both held several different positions during their tenure on the Board. They worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the facilities and staff were the best they could be to make our members’ summers most enjoyable.

Both Dennis and Mike are looking forward to enjoying the fun and relaxing times that we hope are had by all the members of Maple Manor.

I look forward to seeing everyone in May. Remember, it’s just a few months away.