A recent demonstration in a member’s home shop on proper tool sharpening (photo by Bob Hutton)
Bob Hutton
Did you know that there is an active woodworkers group consisting of 65 members and growing. For nearly two years, there has been a Woodworking Club made up of members combined from the two HOAs. You may ask, “How do you have a woodworkers group but no woodshop?” The answer is, “It ain’t easy!”
Most all the members have some tool or other, some have many tools, and some have a complete shop for their own use. But since we have no “place,” up until now, our club only meets for demonstrations and monthly meetings. Sometimes we voluntarily help neighbors with repairs, or at least advise homeowners who have no experience with such matters on projects needed in their homes. Neighbor helping neighbor. Good stuff, all. But it isn’t a woodworking shop.
If you attend the SaddleBrooke One board meetings or read the notes, you know things have been happening. Last year the HOA board commissioned a volunteer group to study clubs and assess their needs and the available space they have to operate. The board has committed some preliminary funds for planning and designing to replace/rebuild/build new the existing rooms to better fit today’s and future club needs. This committee has been discussing with clubs individually to assess future needs. They have visited other communities to see how their needs have changed and how they are approaching the changes.
The many, many hours invested by volunteers of your community have been, well, incredible!
Volunteer engineers (and other very capable folks) have done sketches and layouts, examined zoning laws, fire codes, and parking requirements, among other things, needed to take on a project like this. It is a monumental task. This very capable volunteer group has saved a ton of money in the up-front costs and calculations needed for licensed engineers to move forward. We’re talking about our extremely capable neighbors who did this for a living their whole careers and know thoroughly what they’re talking about. This is huge! The HOA board, facilities, and operations groups are all included in the input, discussions, and eventual decisions on this project. No decisions have been made as of yet, but options are being considered in all club areas that use existing facilities (and a new woodworking shop). The importance of this project can’t be overstated. As competition for retirement communities continues to grow and move into the future, infrastructure needs to be updated. Our board and managers are doing a wonderful service to us on a day-by-day basis, saving so much in costs. But facilities are still aging, and in many cases are well past the planned date of replacement.
Come join the SaddleBrooke Woodworking Club meeting the first Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Saguaro Room of the MountainView complex. If you’re interested in this endeavor, we’d love to meet you. Please come join us and offer your insights. Information is available by email. Please contact [email protected].