Meridian Service Metro District held its monthly board meeting Aug. 7. Repairs to the Meridian Ranch Recreation Center, effects of the Black Forest fire on district operations and new improvements to district facilities were discussed.Marti Wallner, senior director of the Meridian Ranch YMCA, told the board the center received several thank you notes from Black Forest fire displaced residents. The center opened its doors to allow outside resident evacuees a place to work out, shower and enjoy the pool.The recreation center will be closing a portion of the facility to refinish the floors, Wallner said. They will be starting the Silver Sneakers active adult recreation program in the coming months. Driving programs sponsored by AARP will soon be offered as well, she said. Tim Hunker, district representative, reported that water usage in the district was significantly lower in July compared to last year, because of ample rainfall. ìJust in landscaping usage, we’re down a million and a half gallons,î Hunker said. ìIn residential, we’re down two million gallons. Even the golf course only watered eight days in the whole month of July.îDoug Woods, representing the developer, reported that new residential taps into the water system is on schedule, with 111 out of a projected 160 new residences for the year ñ which brings Meridian Ranch to 1,214 occupied homes. Woods said construction for the new indoor pool and recreation center expansion will begin in November. The expansion of Londonderry Drive from its current endpoint near Meridian Ranch Elementary School to Falcon High School is scheduled to start in June 2014, he said.The joint Meridian Ranch and Woodmen Hills lift station on Mclaughlin Road near Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant is scheduled to begin operations Nov. 1, following a Sept. 20 construction finish date. Insurance coverage agreements between Meridian Ranch and Woodmen Hills will need to be finalized before the lift station can start operating. ìDespite the history, our relationship with Woodmen is coming around,î Woods said. In good humor, he added, ìWe just don’t go to lunch.îThe board received notes from the Falcon Fire Protection District and the National Guard, thanking the district and the golf course for making its ponds and water hazards available for helicopter dip sites. Falcon and Black Forest fire departments also heavily used the metro district’s fire hydrants to refill pumper trucks. ìI calculated a guess on how much water we provided for the fire, and came up with 2.5 million gallons,î Hunker said. For the safety of residents, Metro district employees helped with crowd control near the dip sites during helicopter refills. Only one person was injured during the fire in the metro district. A woman was injured when the rotor wash of a lifting helicopter pushed a van’s moon-roof down onto the passengers, Hunker said. Metro district employees provided first aid to the woman.
