Pre-bid meeting

Today's meeting was a success. In attendance were all five qualified contractors and a few local suppliers. Larry Rodgers of Larry Rodgers Design Group orchestrated the meeting and was very clear on the entire renovation process. This meeting gave the contractors opportunities to ask any questions that may have not been so clear on the specification booklet.

Many topics were discussed such as timeline, permitting, employee relations, housing, town of Vail and VRD guidelines. We also discussed some of the more technical aspects pertaining to piping, boring, communication and pump station specifications.

After almost 90 minutes of discussion we adjourned with no more questions and all contractors were content and ready to begin the bid process. On December 16, 2009 all bids are due. A final selection process will determine the final three contractors and then interviews will begin.

More importantly, Larry explicitly described how important it was that the golf course remained open for play during the renovation process. To even get to this part of the process, each contractor must have had experience in this line of work and the ability to work around golf. Director of the VRD Mike Ortiz and Head Golf Professional Jeanne Sutherland were also on hand to explain how critical it is for the Town of Vail and the Recreation District that the golf course is playable and that we can continue to provide the best experience possible.

Almost there...

The Nordic season is upon us. With some recent snowfall the golf season is officially history and the nordic track is being set. The guys are working on packing the trails with the snowmobile and the roller. We are also coordinating signage throughout the trails and prepping for the busy nordic season ahead.

The high school squads are busy gearing up for some recent races and are anxious for the new season.

Even with the new snow cat that the VRD purchased, we are going to need a bit more snow to fall. A minimum of 18 before we can release it on the golf course and throughout East Vail. Be sure to check this site periodically for pictures of the winter happenings and the new grooming equipment, and let it snow!

Pre-bid meeting

On Tuesday, December 2nd we will be meeting with the final five contractors and numerous suppliers for the irrigation system. We shall meet at the golf course clubhouse at 11am. The meeting will be directed by Larry Rodgers (irrigation designer hired by the Vail Recreation District) and myself. Looking forward to meeting everyone and get any questions answered if possible.

Another visit

On Monday, Nov. 17th Kevin Atkinson returned to the golf course to look at possible renovations for the 2009 season and beyond. Currently we are looking at improvements to the 3rd and 7th tee boxes regarding the retaining walls. Kevin has been hired to outline a master plan for the golf course.

Finishing touches

Now that the job is almost done the contractor is using quick-dry cement for a preventative seal around the intake pipe. A final grading around the well and the project is done until the spring time.

When the snow melts we will continue with a concrete pad for the building and bring in power. Then the pumps will be placed and finally the building will be constructed last.

Setting the intake screen

Pictured here on the left is the intake screen connected to the 24" HDPE pipe. The screen sits on a level concrete pad. The screen is 1/2 inch mesh that keeps out fish and larger debris from getting into the well. Before the water is pumped throughout the golf course all water will pass through a finer filter.

After the first week...

By the end of the day Friday November 7th we were almost there. The weather was turning worse for the weekend ahead. As you can see here the new intake pipe has been installed just past the old pipe and screen. Next up on the agenda for Monday, de-water, set the concrete pad for the screen, attach the screen to the pipe and be done!

Onto the intake

If you haven't seen or dealt with C905 PVC pipe let me tell you about it. It's large, heavy and just a monster to work with. We used joint restraints just as a back up, but I don't think that stuff is moving anywhere 14 feet underground.

We used about 70 feet of it along with a 45 degree angle to get around the current pump station and under the current mainline that we were crossing.

Fortunately we had no issues with the current system. Ironically the contractor hit a 3" pipe that on our as-builts were supposed to be in a slightly different location and a 6" pipe. After fixing that and back filling it was on to the HDPE and the intake screen.

Setting the well

This proved to be a very interesting part of the project. It took patience especially in the cold. The snowy, cold and windy weather did not help however by Wednesday afternoon the well was complete.

Groundwater

As we suspected, ground water was going to be an issue. It was very difficult to keep the water out, keep the hole small and have the well level. However after two days and four attempts it was finally accomplished.

The contractor did an excellent job and got it right on. On a side note, during the digging we noticed a large amount of asphalt, pipe and other old items that was removed. It seems that this site was some sort of dump area. Who knows how long ago.

Deliveries

Tuesday morning, November 4th (Election Day). The 24" intake pipe was delivered along with all of our joints needed.

The concrete well is 6' in diameter and is 15 feet deep. There is about a 3 foot drop in elevation from the end of the pipe that sits in the pond to the well. The well has a 24" boot that the PVC C905 can fit into. We used about 70 feet of the C905 with joint restraints. The HDPE pipe came with a welded flange to attach to the PVC. (pictured above). The HDPE was placed in the water because it does not degrade from UV rays.

What about the fish?

While draining the ponds for the wet well project we had to maintain our fish. In this picture on the right Tony Giroux is placing one of almost 30 fish rescued into a bucket. Justin Gompf would then release the fish to bigger ponds or the river.

This projet also gave us the opportunity to clean some of the ponds and make some improvements to drain pipes.

From the beginning

The excavating began on Monday, November 3rd. The contractor delivered their Komatsu 270 the week before in preparation to dig on Monday morning. Carefully the excavator made its way to the site through the golf course. The contractor also had a large front end loader, trailer with supplies and a couple of trucks.

They were able to get all people and equipment into place and begin to dig by mid-day. After marking off the exact location to dig the well, the excavating began.

By 3pm the hole was 9 feet deep and they had met groundwater. I had figured as much since that was the level of the river, not too far from the site. The ponds had been drained significantly to reduce the amount of water pressure. With only a couple of hours left in the day they had decided to call it a day and begin the de-watering process in the morning.

Winter

Well it is officially winter here in Vail. We have finished the wet well. I know I have not written anything in a while but I have lots to tell. Many pictures and descriptions about what transpired through all of the muck, mud and snow. It's finally done and we can move on to bigger and better things.

I am off to Dallas for a little more research for irrigation pump stations. I write lots more when I return.

Irrigation begins

Well Monday marked the very beginning of the new irrigtion system. A 9 foot hole was dug before getting to water today. They have 7 more feet to go before setting the well. The well structure will be delivered tomorrow. They stopped there with the plans to de-water on tuesday morning. The weather was dry and nice for digging.

Almost there

Now I know that you all have been waiting for this well to begin. I have been receiving phone calls about the empty lakes and what is happening with the fish. Fortunately we have not had to move any fish yet because there has been enough water for them to survive right now. This coming week the one of the ponds will end up dry and from there we will move any fish to any of the other ponds along the course.

Oh yeah the digging, right, well it's something I am getting used to and still not appreciating, however many contractors around these parts are on their own schedule. I didn't find out until Monday morning that they wouldn't be coming until the following week. Well if anything is positive here, it gives us a little more time to prepare.

Now the staff is gone for the season, another great year and I hope to have many of them back for the following year. A lot of that depends on visas. But that is a different blog for a different time.

Daylight savings today and also another addition to the Coal Bucket Classic. This tournament was begun in 1968. It is a 9 or 10 hole tournament to mark the end of the season. Food and beer after the round and another chance for the winner to mark their name and score on the bucket. It should be a good one. The weather looks OK. I should have more tonight on the blog.

Snow cover

The last half of this past week the course has been closed due to snow fall. Since Mother Nature is a golfer the course should be open this weekend or shortly thereafter. The forecast is looking good to get in a few more rounds.

Wednesday marked the beginning of blowing out the irrigation system and draining the irrigation pond. As of Monday, October 27th the new irrigation system will commence. Excavation on a new wet well to construct a new pump station will begin. It is critical that the pond be empty to set the intake pipe and well. Stay tuned this coming week for pictures and updates on the progress of this project. The decision to begin this part of the project is due to the low water table this time of year. The well will be 16 feet deep and we stand a greater chance of not having ground water problems this time of year. The pump you see here is a 6 inch pump operated by a diesel engine.

A dash of snow

A dusting of snow by the day's end on the course today. I saw the Vail Mountain School's Nordic Ski team practicing around the golf course with their "dry gear". Most of our fertilizing has been accomplished with only a few holes left.
Much of the work accomplished today by the crew involved cutting back the willow bushes. The tenth hole is done and now we are moving to the first and ninth hole. With cutting them back so much, it is now much easier to find your golf balls. Our goal for willow cutting is to ease future maintenance of these very fast growing plants. In low lying areas willows do very well in poorly drained soils and suck up a lot of the ground water. After being cut so drastically, at first glance it may look as if they are dead. Have no fear, these hardy plants don't skip a beat and when the soil temperatures rise in the spring, you'll see plenty of new growth.

Fall Fertilization

A good nitrogen application in the fall is a healthy way to start the 2009 season. Now that the soil temperatures have dropped below 40 degrees the turfgrass plant has slowed growth tremendously. However it is a great time to build carbohydrates and strengthen the plant for the winter months. When soil temperatures warm up in the spring the plant can respond to these changes positively. This application is critical for better winter survival and spring rejuvenation. At Vail Golf Club we use Ammonium Sulfate which is popular in these climates. It is very economical and provides an excellent source of quick nitrogen to reach our goals. This application will take the entire week.

Getting in another round

Well Wednesday turned out to be a perfect day. Cool morning but plenty of golf in the afternoon. The golf course stayed steady with play today. We continued to topdress a few more fairways, 10,18,1 and 9.

Also, today we continued to research options for the retaining walls for 3 and 7 tee boxes. These failing walls must be repaired and we are looking at the spring of 2009 to do so. Kevin Atkinson, golf course architect, has been hired to draw up a master plan for the entire golf course over a two year period. He has been employed to start in these locations to better the golf course. Signs look very promising and we are getting excited to accomplish these tasks in the future.

topdressing continues

Topdressing fairways today on holes 12 and 13. Tomorrow we will continue with topdressing fairways 10 and 18 tomorrow. Also half of the driving range tee will be closed tomorrow. have no fear, there has been limited play on the range lately so you will still have plenty of room to tee it up if you only have a limited amount of time to hit balls.

Clean up efforts continued today with the staff raking and sweeping up leaves around the course. There is still plenty of color throughout the course which makes for a beautiful walk.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Very cold weather today, the high was 42 degrees. We began to topdress fairways today accomplishing holes 11, 14 and 16. The topdressing sand we use comes out of a sand pit in the Denver metro area. It is screened and provides an excellent medium for the fairway playing surface. The sand accomplishes many issues including divots, low areas, fills aerification holes and overall provides a smoother surface. A sandy soil drains better, compacts less and reduces wear and tear from play. When the sand is incoprporated into aerification holes it helps dilute the thatch layer and provides a healthier envirnment for the turfgrass.

Coming out of the storm...

A dusting of snow on the course today, however the rest of the week is looking quite promising. This week, the staff will continue to topdress fairways in preparation for the winter season. We also plan to blow out the irrigation system this week. It is critical to drain the system thoroughly for the wintertime. Soil temperatures and evaporation rates are low enough now to rely on Mother Nature for moisture. In the event of a dry fall, tank watering will be neccessary to prevent dessication and turf decline late in the season. As long as the weather stays nice, the golf course will be open for play.