Carolina
Trace Country Club clubhouse engulfed in fire.
At 7 pm on January 31, 2008, the quiet night air at Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, NC, was shattered by the high-pitched wail of fire engines racing through its private gates to the community’s clubhouse. Engulfed in a major fire, the clubhouse was quickly surrounded by firefighters from 12 fire departments who fought for hours to save the building, but couldn't. The next morning revealed the charred, blackened remains of the once-active community hub.
Charred remains, but the start of something new.
Now,
less than two years later, proud members at Carolina Trace have cut the
ribbon on a new 30,000 sq. ft. clubhouse–architecturally and
aesthetically engaging, and a symbol of an active membership who used
the disaster as a springboard to upgrading their amenities and to making
a statement about the health of the community as a whole. To top it
off, the new building was finished two months ahead of schedule and on
budget. Request more information about Caroline Trace.
New building complete, no trace of the disaster remains.
Toughing Out the Recession
The new clubhouse and invigorated membership at Carolina Trace stand in stark contrast to the many golf communities that in the past 18 months have had to close their doors.
Despite temporarily losing the hub of their community amid a crippling, world-wide recession, members immediately mobilized to re-create their country club life–post-fire style.
Diners on the new veranda enjoy lake views.
Two objectives guided the initiatives: 1. Rebuild the clubhouse quickly, elegantly and fiscally responsibly and 2. Creatively continue most of the active lifestyle in temporary venues.
The new pub leads into the dining room.
Club members rose to the task from all directions. They supported planned events, the board supported aggressive marketing strategies, and the staff maintained operations at a rental home within the gates.
Activities Resume
Members opened their homes so chess, painting, bridge classes, board meetings and dinner parties could continue. Buses were chartered for cultural and sporting events. Tents provided cover for holiday celebrations and parties. And golf and tennis operations resumed immediately after the fire, enabling the club to host its 200 annual tournaments in addition to daily play.
Members listened to each other, identified their priorities, and together, figured out how to meet those needs in post-fire style while enhancing camaraderie and keeping Club membership high.
The new clubhouse encompasses 30,000 sq. ft and is used for entertainment, fitness, dining and club activities.
Today, members are playing golf on two world-class championship golf courses, playing tennis on lighted, state of the art Har-Tru® courts, kayaking or pontoon-boating on beautiful Lake Trace.
Soaring ceilings and windows accent the dining room.
And in the new clubhouse members work out in the fitness center, participate in more than 70 social clubs and more than 10 events and activities weekly, and dine casually in Jones Pub and Veranda or formally in the Hearthstone Room, Founders Room or the Grand Ballroom. While one could say life has returned to normal at Carolina Trace, it is also clear how special its country club lifestyle is. Request more information about Caroline Trace.
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