Highland Groves Changes

After lunch yesterday, we got a call from a man delivering the alum for the lake at Highland Groves and he needed direction about unloading, so we spent some time out at the community. There are tons of changes, mostly small, but when you add them all up, it feels like the neighborhood is springing up.

A major difference is the paving of the streets; the paving is extended farther south and west every day, and so the only time we find ourselves off-roading now is when we are looking at the lakes. And speaking of the lakes - which I haven't done for some time because all the projected dates I've been given have turned out to be woefully incorrect due to some problem or other - the edges are complete, the grades along the edges are correct, the piles of dirt and concrete pipes that will be fish structure are in place, and the fountains are nearly ready.

These fountains, unlike the fountain at the lake at Lakeview Village, are floating. Here's an up close look:



It's sitting on a pallet, so the thing that floats is actually all the brown pieces that make up the fountain. I don't know how you make something that looks so heavy float, but then I've always wondered that about cruise ships as well. The spool of tubing to the right is the casing for the electrical connections. The funny shaped spindly wheel on top is where they will install the lights; The Mister informs me that there will be three lights spaced around this wheel.

These lakes will have much circulation, which will help control algae issues. First of all, the lakes are connected, and the water comes into one lake and leaves via the other lake. Secondly, there are extra aeration features installed. Thirdly, the floating fountains will provide even more movement. Add to these points the fact that the lakes are relatively smaller, and we have high hopes for it to stay clear. I am not going to pass on any thoughts about when there will be water; but when it starts to fill, you'll be the first to get a picture.

Other notable progress at this community includes the paving of Recker and the traffic light at Elliot and Recker that has been operational for a few weeks. The crews are working on installing the median, which will of course include the trees and turf as well as the street lights.

The entry monuments are up, the rock is on, and the background is painted just the right shade of green. Sidewalks are being laid everytime I visit (except Fridays, of course, when concrete isn't available). And of course, most important to residents, the houses are springing up one day and seemingly occupied the next. I was empathizing with the new homeowners trying to live in the midst of all the construction (The Mister and I were the first house on our block) with the streets barely passable because of the workers' trucks. Yes, those streets are narrow, on purpose, for traffic control; but once the construction trucks are gone they feel more homey and less annoying, at least to me.

And of course, once the lakes are filled, that will provide the irrigation needed for things to start turning green. That will be a huge visual change. I'll be bringing the pictures.