| | Published February 18th, 2008
| "Rancho" Club Almost Finished
| | By Cathy Tyson |  | | View of the "Rancho" main clubhouse, still under construction Photo provided
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Members of the Rancho Colorados Swim and Tennis Club will be able to use their new and improved club, scheduled to open in time for the swim season starting in May, according to Marketing Director Todd Mullins. "The mild winter, thus far, will help the schedule," he added. The soon-to-be finished buildings are the culmination of years of hard work by board members and volunteers who saw the need for improvements back in 2002. Club members were supportive of the project and voted overwhelmingly, 91% in favor, to assess themselves in order to pay for the project.
Since 1961, Lafayette families have been enjoying the club at the end of Rohrer drive in Burton Valley. But like most structures that are forty seven years old, the buildings had seen better days.
Construction of the new 2,395 square feet expanded main clubhouse building and a new tennis building started in October. The original clubhouse was a mere 831 square feet and did not have enclosed storage or ADA compliant bathrooms that the new space has. Tennis court resurfacing will be done as a separate project by a different contractor after the main project is completed, and will be scheduled to not impact the USTA season.
Early in the process there was some friction with the neighbors over increasing the number of families that belong to the club, parking, lighting, hours of operation, and swim meets. Compromises were made to address the major concerns. In the end the conversations created a process where the collective group of neighbors could come together to agree on a Road Maintenance Agreement for the private section of Rohrer Drive.
"More than anything else, Rancho is a throwback to an era where kids can be kids in a safe and stable environment all summer long, and grown ups can hang out and enjoy time with friends and neighbors by the pool and barbeque," said Mullins.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA