ways to improve Club Social Time

On Friday, 9 December 2016 12:26:02 UTC-5, wrote:
My club is doing well and growing but our set up is not great for socializing. I think it would be nice if there were a few more excuses for people to hang out after flying to further build friendships.
We just moved from another airport that had no good club house or club space other than the hangar. We have an office / clubhouse now but it is pretty basic. When we are done putting all the aircraft away people mostly split and go home.
I think if we had a few more features it would help make the club more family friendly and more social.
I was thinking some picnic tables, chairs, bean bag toss game/"cornhole", horse shoe toss etc.
A pool might be nice but not in the budget. What works well at other clubs?

Any kids stuff work well?

Chris

My club, www.yorksoaring.com, began renovations to the clubhouse about a decade ago. First up was renovation of the washrooms. The old ones violated the Geneva Convention, with a bucket under the leaking urinal, water-stained cold only sinks, etc. Got a grant, and put in restaurant quality, and accessible, tiled floor new fixtures etc. Next up was the kitchen. A member salvaged cabinets from a lease ended kitchen store, and funds raised by a social committee bought new appliances (2, fridges, 2 stoves, dishwasher). Most important: a beer fridge. It's locked until the gliders are packed in the hangar, and then open for the 'debriefing'. The old kitchen became a classroom, with computers for member use, and wifi in clubhouse and campground. A propane gas fireplace and a laminate floor and gyprock ceiling transformed the pilot's lounge, which the social committee filled with folding leg round tables and stacking chairs. A/C in the office only for the comfort of the volunteer taking care of selling flights and entering data into the member accounts.

Each improvement inspired the next. We started with the washrooms because they were the worst. Then the next worst, the old kitchen became a compelling target to follow. The kitchen is used for group dinners once a month or so, and lunches are frequently off the BBQ on the adjoining flight deck. Hangar flying in encourged, with the pundit's stories offering insights into the as yet unobtained farther reaches of gliding's never-ending learning curve.

Collegiality is the glue that all-too-often distinguishes a club from an FBO. But successful FBO's also offer club-like social sides (think Ridge Soaring of Seminole Lake). It's an important aspect of soaring as a choice vs.. power.

On Friday, December 9, 2016 at 11:10:30 AM UTC-8, Dave Nadler wrote:
Jim, you forgot the kangeroos!
Hope to get down there again one of these days...

(Dave has been to Lake Keepit before)
Sorry, forgot the kangaroos, cockatoos, magpies, goannas, kookaburras, parrots, galahs, mynahs, etc that you wake up to.
There were 3 new cabins I hadn't seen before, with more coming. Stayed in one new cabin, very nice.
The club house kitchen has grown. The indoor dining area is much larger than you last saw, and air conditioned.

Driving to Williams tomorrow, there is now a spacious air conditioned kitchen, dining and party room adjacent to the offices, bunk house and "studio".
Jim