Good Evening,
If anyone knows a magic “Rain Cessation Dance” please let us know at the office! Through July we are twelve inches above normal in terms of rainfall, and it has put a real damper on our ability to make progress with road and utility installation. Even when it stops raining it takes several days for the ground to be firm enough to work on.
One thing that has been completed is our fantastic Riverwalk. The kayak launch is also installed at the boat ramp, and the decking at the area of the ramp leading from the fixed dock to the floating one has been enlarged. Later this winter we will relocate several of the pilings to straighten the dock out, and we will also be adding two new “T” heads to the marina which will allow for twenty-four additional slips. Paving along Excelsior in Rosewood Landing should occur as soon as it dries out somewhat in the next week or so. Unfortunately, rain is forecasted for the next ten days.
You all deserve a big hand as the community of River Bluffs collected four hundred and thirty-one pounds of food during the “Little Red Wagon” food drive two weeks ago. This is really impressive and indicative of the fantastic residents we have in this beautiful neighborhood. River Bluffs is active in other areas of the community as well. The community will be a sponsor for the upcoming pickleball tournament August 24-26. It is sponsored by the YMCA and proceeds will support patients fighting Parkinson’s. Our own Jackie Niedermeyer will be competing so please cheer her on. Here is a link to more information about the event: Click here. We will also be supporting an upcoming golf tournament benefitting the Vietnam Veterans of America. The tournament will be held at the Olde Point golf course in Hampstead on September 15th beginning at 9:00. Please reach out to Ritt Schiano if you are interested in participating.
Yesterday we posted information about a recent public meeting held by the Department of Transportation about pending improvements to the Castle Hayne Road corridor. There is an informative brochure on the portal (and attached to this e-mail) about the project. You will note that there are a couple of different options for improving Castle Hayne Road and there is also a feedback form attached that we encourage you to complete and send into DOT. We really like “Alternative 1” which would have a divided median and allow for bike paths. We may have a representative from DOT come to speak on the topic sometime next month if there is enough interest. Click here to download the form. If you have any trouble with this link, you can find both documents in the portal under “Community Resources”.
Amenities
We have a request that really must be honored. Please do not drive a golf cart onto the Riverwalk. Someone has been doing so and not only does that present a huge safety concern, but it is also not good for the structure itself. A reminder that there is now a combination lock on the closet beside the pump room at the pool and the water volleyball equipment is stored inside. The combination is 2200, the same as the one for the restrooms at the tennis courts. We hope to be able to complete the installation of the entrance columns to the Tennis/RV storage area as soon as the rain stops.
Neighborhood Safety
Things remain quiet, just the way we like it. One request we would like to make is to ask that owners and guests, please refrain from smoking inside the pool area, out of respect for other neighbors. On another safety-related note, if you see a streetlight out, you can notify Duke Power online through their website. A map of the neighborhood will pop up, and you can actually pinpoint the exact light on the map. The last one we reported was fixed within twenty-four hours. It helps if you can get the pole number (the black number with a yellow background on the side of the pole). We have a new greeter at the front gate that you may see over the next several weeks as he trains. Bob Odom has been around Wilmington a long time and is looking forward to meeting each of you. He will be filling in for Scott and Ronnie.
Neighborhood Activities
Don’t forget to check the calendar for the bands at Porches and also to see all the various club and group activities. Porches will be closed for a private party on Saturday, August 18th. Also, the Farm Market is happening tomorrow from 10:00am – 2:00pm on the Porches veranda.
Thank you all for choosing this neighborhood to make your home. We look forward to a great finish for the summer (once it stops raining) and appreciate the homeowner involvement in so many aspects of the community. I will be on vacation next week but will be checking my e-mail if something comes up. Have a great weekend.
John Lennon
A Note About the Portal Reservation System
Since we kicked off the reservation system within the portal several new use cases and hurdles developed. We now have confirmation from the HOA of an online payment system that will enable us to complete the last part of the portal, the paid class/commercial use CAR Room reservations. We will be using Paypal to process the tiered class reservations, commercial use reservations as well as the Private Event reservation.
Additionally, when you log-in to the portal and Click on “Community Reservations” (on the left navigation menu), you will see a page that populates with more options. No matter the type of CAR Room reservation you are trying to make, you will click on the “Start The Booking Process” button. The next page that loads now has much clearer directive buttons and description to guide you through the booking process based on the type of event you are trying to book. Stay tuned for more updates coming soon on this.
Thank you,
Megan MabeÂÂ