SUN CITY – Just outside the Solarium, overlooking Whisper Creek Golf Course’s eighteenth hole, visitors to Sun City’s Prairie Lodge & Welcome Center might notice a new addition to the outdoor patio: a firepit.
“We wanted to give the residents another gathering area, in this case one that was outside,” Dennis O’Leary, president of the Sun City Community Board of Directors, said.
“It’s a nice opportunity to come in the evening, sit, and relax,” he added.
The idea for the firepit was born out of a strategic plan the community board came up with; as part of a conversation as to what features residents would like to have in Sun City, the notion of outdoor seating was discussed and approved. After that, O’Leary said, the board approved a bid to construct the pit itself.
The circular pit is four feet in diameter, with a brick paved surface, and with stonework added for a seat ledge. It is surrounded by a dozen chairs, with more waiting just inside to be moved outdoors if the need arises.
Designed during the winter, O’Leary said it took “four or five weeks, all told” to construct at a total cost of $70,000, which included landscaping and furniture.
The firepit will officially open to the public on September 5, launching with a kick-off party, although it was completed in mid-August. The public reaction to the firepit may prompt additional changes to the patio.
In its current form, the area surrounding the firepit has no “shady spots,” as O’Leary said, which might provide respite from the sun. He said the board will gauge community reactions and renovate accordingly, provided the public deems it a necessity.
The board chose not to add any shading so as not to obstruct the view, he said, calling the vista of the lake and waterfall of the course a “signature view” for Sun City.
In addition, the current seating capacity may be permanently increased if such a need arises.
O’Leary also said the possibility of additional firepits across Sun City wasn’t out of the question, as well, so long as the residents have a desire for more gathering places of a similar nature outdoors.
