The board took a little time off to focus on family during the Holidays and now that 2024 is officially here, I wanted to take a minute and give everyone a quick update on what we have planned for this year.
The Community pool resurfacing project should begin (weather dependent) in the next 60 days. We also plan on giving the bathrooms a fresh coat of paint as well as some much needed lighting/fixture updates. I fully expect everything will be completed in time for opening day in May.
Speaking of the pool area, the parking lot is also long overdue for some attention. The board is exploring options of getting the lot re-sealed as well as new stripes and handicap stencils re-painted.
Now that the landscaping around the front entrance monuments is nearly complete, the board is looking at cleaning up the area inside the front roundabout. We feel that this area hasn’t gotten to the point of no return but does need some attention to restore it to our community standards.
The retention ponds will probably be the biggest focus of 2024 for the Bridgewater Board. This year we increased the budget to allow for two annual cleanings of each pond instead of just one. While this will help the appearance and function in the long term, there is still some work that needs to be addressed in the short term. A recent inspection has found a sink hole that has formed in the pond at the back of the subdivision as well as a beaver damn that needs to be addressed. The bushes outside the pond on BCD are earmarked to be removed and replaced with something manageable….as well as continuing to maintain the hedges around the Red Orchard Drive pond.
We are also in discussions with WOW internet to bring a fiber optic option to Bridgewater to give our residents a much-needed choice when it comes to internet and television service.
The board has also decided that if we are able to stay under budget (no easy feat) in 2024, that we would reinvest any surplus to a small children’s playground set near the pool.
Finally, the last item on our 2024 agenda is to explore making a change with our current community management company. Like many of you, the board has grown frustrated with the lack of communication and accountability from William Douglas. The level of service has deteriorated over the years while their management fees continue to escalate. Most recently, as many of you pointed out, the 2024 HOA statements were MIA. I have been dealing with them directly over the past few weeks to get this resolved and have not been impressed with their responsiveness. In the meantime, the 2024 fees can be paid on the homeowner’s portal of the WD website. I expect the paper statements to be sent out soon.
The board is excited for the upcoming enhancements in 2024 as well as all the stuff you’ve come to expect: food trucks, movie nights and community events. I’ll continue to provide updates throughout the course of the year. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly. Thanks again for making Bridgewater a great place to live!.
