The apartment lake wall repair is nearly finished and we are refilling the lake. Over the next couple of days, boat owners may need to lenghten mooring lines.
To accommodate a lake wall construction project on the west side adjacent to the apartments, the lake level will be allowed to fall to a slightly lower than usual level. Boat owners might want to keep an eye on mooring lines to allow for this change.
The project should not take long and we will keep you abreast of the progress in this spot. Thank you for your patience.
The next LCA board meeting has been postponed until October 5 to avoid conflict with Rosh Hashanah.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but a part has broken on the jacuzzi pump. It is on order and will be repaired by Wednesday.
Thank you for your patience.
We'll be bringing water into the lake for about a week starting today. Boat owners will want to lengthen mooring lines to let boats rise with the water level. We'll also be irrigating along Southshore.
We still have a mighty big hole in the ground, but the SRP transformer is working, the lights are on, and the pool is open.
Thank you, Lakes homeowners, for your patience during this glitch.
Due to the disruption in service caused by the SRP transformer failure, the Lakes pool remains closed. The excavation necessitated by the outage also disrupted water service to the pool itself which in turn affected chemical levels. Current estimate for stabilization is approximately 6 PM.
All other Clubhouse facilities are available for use.
When there is an update to this situation, it will be posted here. Thank you for your patience during this time.
The SRP power transformer controlling The Lakes Clubhouse has suffered a breakdown due to unknown causes. The initial estimate is six hours to repair. The Clubouse is closed and will remain closed until tomorrow.
If there is any update to this situation, it will be posted here.
There was scattered damage throughout The Lakes to at least sixteen trees from last night's storm even though some neighborhoods experienced far greater wind and rain than others. Cleanup has already begun.
We'll be bringing water into the lake for about a week starting today. Boat owners might want to lengthen mooring lines to let boats rise with the water level. We'll also be irrigating along Southshore to keep the grass looking good.
Pool Hours Change
The pool will close at 8:30 PM tonight so that we can set up for tomorrow's meet with Rio Salado. When the meet is over and the area is set up again for everyday use, the pool will reopen at approximately 1:30 PM Saturday.
The next home meet is Tuesday, July 12. The pool will close at 2:30 PM that day.
Clubhouse Closed 9 AM-5 PM
The carpeting in the Clubhouse will be cleaned Monday, July 11, so the Clubhouse interior will be closed from 9 AM until about 5 PM. The outside facilities will remain open: Park, Pool, Jacuzzi, Volleyball, Basketball and Tennis Courts. The Bathrooms will remain open. The interior will be closed: Gym, Multipurpose Room, and Adult Lounge. The LCA Office is accessible through the courtyard near the front entrance.
Due to the high volume of traffic we have in the Clubhouse, it is important that we keep this flagship asset well maintained. Thank you for your cooperation.
The Club pool is open for all!
Keep in mind how subject we are to the whims of nature. Remember, also, that the Club pool is closed immediately when lightning is sited and that after summer storms, the pool must be empty of swimmers while being cleaned.
Pool status will be updated here whenever possible or you can call the Club at 838-3274.
The Club Pool is still closed due to the dust and sand in the water and will likely remain closed for the rest of the day. 6:30 Water Aerobics has been canceled.
Pool status will be updated here or you can call the Club at 838-3274.
The Club Pool will be closed until 3 PM due to last night's storm. If there is any change in this plan, we will post the information here. Thank you for your patience.
To prepare for our home swim meet at 5 PM today, the Lakes pool will be closed at 2 PM and will remain closed for the remainder of the day. After the meet, our Lakes attendants will be on duty removing lane lines and equipment and cleaning the area so that we can open the pool tomorrow and be ready for the weekend ahead. This operation will take at least an hour after all the swimmers have left the area. The pool will reopen tomorrow morning for normal operation throughout the 4th of July weekend..
The Lakes Clubhouse will be open for normal operation during the 4th of July weekend. Enjoy the holiday and stay safe.
The Easter Egg Hunt pictures are online in the Photogallery. Enjoy them.
With the change in the seasons comes the change in The Lakes landscape palettes. On Monday, April 25, our landscapers will remove the plants put in for the winter season; many of which are still in good shape, but won't be for long.
The landscapers will remove the plants themselves and transport them to the Clubhouse parking lot where they will be laid out on tarps and are free for the taking. Remember, the landscapers will carefully remove the plants to give them the best chance for successful transplanting in your gardens. Don't do it yourself.
The summer landscaping array will go in the following week after the landscape crew fertilizes and ammends the soil to prepare it for successful planting of the summer palette.
The Clubhouse carpet is clean and the Clubhouse is completely back in business again. Thank you for your cooperation
The carpet cleaners will clean the Multipurpose Room and both bathrooms Tuesday April 19 beginning at about 9 AM and finishing about 4 PM. Thank you for your cooperation
The carpeting in the Clubhouse is being cleaned today, so the Clubhouse will be generally closed until about 4 PM. The Pool, Jacuzzi, Tennis Courts, Basketball Court, and bathrooms will remain open; Gym, Multipurpose Room, and Adult Lounge will be closed. The LCA Office is accessible through the courtyard near the front entrance. Due to the high volume of traffic we have in the Clubhouse, it is important to keep this flagship asset well maintained. Thank you for your cooperation
We'll be bringing water into the lake for about a week starting April 13. Boat owners might want to lengthen mooring lines to let boats rise with the water level. We'll also be irrigating along Southshore to get the grass looking good in anticipation of the summer heat.
The photos for The Lakes 40th Anniversary Celebration have been posted on the Lakes Gallery. It might have been a chilly outing, but everybody had lots of fun. A parade and the appearance of the J. Powers Band has been rescheduled for Memorial Day. Don't miss it!
The latest revised version of The Lakes Architectural Rules is available from Karen in the LCA Office, online here and on the Architectural Rules link where you can also download a copy of The Lakes Architectural Application.
We have again added a dye to the lake to help control the growth of golden algae and other aquatic plants. The harmless dye diminishes the amount of sunlight that reaches the plants. Golden algae is especially active during this time of year when increased sunlight and warmer weather encourages growth. The dye is effective for three to six months.
We'll be bringing in water to raise the level of the lake beginning today and for the next several days. Boat owners might want to lengthen mooring lines to allow boats to rise with the water level.
The Pool and Jacuzzi deck repair has been completed and both will be open for use tomorrow at 7 AM. Our pool deck gets a lot of use and abuse in the Arizona sun, but will be looking great for another active Lakes outdoor season.
The Lakes Pool and Jacuzzi will be closed Tuesday, February 15 at 11 AM until some time Friday, February 18 for deck repair. Should circumstances dictate and the re-opening change, further information will be posted here, in the Manager's Update.
The Clubhouse will be closed today until 2 PM for complete carpet cleaning. Thank you for your patience.
We'll be bringing in water to raise the level of the lake beginning today and for the next several days. Boat owners might want to lengthen mooring lines to allow boats to rise with the water level.
The main entrance to the Lakes Clubhouse will be closed from Tuesday, December 14 until Friday, December 17 while the walkway is repaired. The Club will be open for normal business at all times, but we kindly ask everyone to enter next to the Pool just down the sidewalk. Thanks
The Lakes community has again done a wonderful thing. All the tags on The Lakes Giving Tree representing children in neighborhood schools Rover, Fees, and Marcos de Niza have been chosen. Each tag now represents a child in one of the schools who will definitely receive a gift at Christmas thanks to the open heart of a Lakes resident.
The wrapped gifts should be brought to the Club with tags on the outside showing the child's name no later than December 13 so they can be taken to the schools for distribution by school staff.
The results of the most recent water testing done by our lake water consultants, Dr. Amalfi at Aquatic Consulting and Testing, indicate that there is little or no threat of golden algae at this time. Contrary to expectation, cool water conditions are most conducive to the growth of this aquatic vegetation, so the results are very good news. We will continue to monitor the condition of our lake with a special interest in golden algae.
Owing to the cold weather and the energy cost, our Pool will be closed and covered to preserve heat at 8 PM until spring.
The walls along Southshore have been patched and now the patches have cured and so the painting will be done this week.
There was a great turnout for Sunday's concert. I saw lots of new faces and everybody obviously had a lot of fun. Check out the photos.
We have begun the transition to winter ryegrass in The Lakes and until the grass emerges, try to keep foot traffic to a minimum in the parks and finger parks when possible.
In a few short weeks, the grass will be well established and healthy. Healthy green lawns make good looking neighborhoods and keep home values up. To that end, all Lakes homeowners are encouraged to overseed with winter grass. Read Stella Calvert's article for info on the process.
The Pool will be closed and covered every night at 9 PM until spring.
The Clubhouse carpets are freshly cleaned and we're looking good going into the the cool season.
Thanks for your patience.
Monday, September 13, The Lakes Clubhouse will have all its carpets cleaned.
Summer is nearly out of the way and the holidays are coming up so we can all see the need for this necessary service and minor inconvenience.
The Multipurpose Room, Gym, and Adult Lounge will be closed from about 8 AM to about noon.
Thanks for your patience.
Na Lee O Ke Kai, the oldest outrigger club in Arizona, will conduct club practices on our lake until early November due to the collapse of the Tempe Town Lake dam. Na Lee O Ke Kai, Voices of the Sea, is a competitive race club and a member of the Southern California Outrigger Racing Association and co-hosts the annual Tempe Town Lake Outrigger Regatta. The club formed in 1996 and works to contribute to the community by teaching the sport and Hawaiian culture to Cub Scouts, Outward Bound Scouts, and others.
Practice times:
Practices are typically Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4 PM until dark and Saturdays from 6 AM until noon. They also have small boat practices on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 6 AM until 10 AM. The club carries its own insurance and is entirely responsible for their members and equipment.
We are happy to extend our hospitality and hope Lakes residents enjoy watching Na Lee O Ke Kai practice.
I have been monitoring the rate of weed growth for the entire lake for some time and I'd like to make the Lakes community aware of what we are doing to address the situation.
First, we have to know that a reasonable amount of aquatic vegetation plays a healthy and important role in maintaining a healthy lake.
Therefore, we will be adding a harmless sunlight blocking dye to the lake next week to help slow growth of new vegetation and adding White Amur fish to devour some of the existing plants.
Jesse Callan, Lakes Fishing and Boating Chairman, has written a very informative article which I will post this weekend and will be available in next month's Lakes Log.
And at this time, we are adding water to the lake to offset loss to evaporation and irrigating the common area along Southshore Drive.
Swarming Bees
Although the hive was removed Saturday afternoon, there is still a chance that some bees might return to the spot. Therefore, the area will remain posted with caution materials until further notice.
Swarming Bees
A swarm of bees has been spotted on The Lakes perimeter wall along Eastshore Drive between Weathervane and Northshore Drives. The area has been cordoned off to pedestrian traffic and a hive removal service has been contacted.
The hive will be transported and this report will be updated as soon as possible.
Lake Maintenance
Water will be added to the lake from this afternoon until the lake regains a normal level.
Lake Maintenance
Today we made an additional treatment of sun-blocking dye and weed killing herbicide to the lake. Our lake has experienced increased weed growth lately and I have spoken about it with our lake management consultant, Dr. Rick Amalfi. He advised me that many local lakes are also seeing heavier weed growth than normal this year. Dr. Amalfi treated the lake with herbicide and dye in March, but believes that further treatment is necessary. The herbicide will help manage the situation immediately and the dye should block the sun from reaching the bottom of the lake for at least three months.
Pool Open
The pool's cool deck has been repaired and the pool will open again for normal hours on Saturday morning at 7 AM.
Pool Closure
The Lakes pool will be closed from Wednesday afternoon April 28 through Friday night April 30 for cool deck repair. The pool will open again for normal hours on Saturday morning at 7 AM.
Algae and Grass Control
The lake was treated with light-blocking dye and herbicide to prevent the growth of destructive algae and grasses.
Lakes Circulation Maintenance
The two large pumps circulating the Lake and driving the water over the Rapids are aging and malfunctioning. The pump most fixable has been pulled out and and is being worked on by a local pump company. We'd like to have the pump repaired and returned to service as quickly as possible.
Given that our whole community is dealing with roof rats this year, it is very important that all of us work together to rid our neighborhoods of rats.
What else you should know about roof rats
How to tell if you have roof rats
If you have citrus trees, and you notice hollowed-out fruit on the ground or in the trees, this is an indicator that roof rats are present. If you hear gnawing or scratching sounds in the attic or in the walls, you may have roof rats. Pay attention to any droppings in attics and storage areas. If you notice oily rub marks on the house, or small holes in the screens, you could have roof rats.
What you can do to prevent roof rats from moving in
What you can do to get rid of roof rats
Trapping roof rats seems to be the preferred method of control, especially if you have small children or pets that might be affected by poisons. Snap traps are widely available at pest control stores, hardware stores, and home improvement stores.
Pick all citrus fruit off trees at end of growing season or at the first sign of roof rats have infested the tree. Pick up all fruit, ripe or dried, off the ground.
Donate your fruit
Call St. Mary's Food Bank at 623-344-2158 and they will pick the fruit for you for $10.00 per tree. Or if you prefer to pick the fruit yourself, St Mary's will pick it up at no charge and distribute it to the needy.
Remember: this problem is only going to get worse unless all of us work together to rid our neighborhood of roof rats.
