Deep Dive: Jumping (in) for Joy
Relax, take a nice breath, and join us as we go beneath the surface and uncover conversation treasures to bring up.
Time for a victory lap!
Each May, it’s exciting when the weather warms up enough that we can fill our pools with water. May of 2026 gave us an unwelcome surprise though, when the water in our 67-year-old main pool drained right back out.
Our Managers and Pool & Grounds Chairs immediately swung into action. They gave Woodland Hills a tremendous amount of their blood, sweat, and tears (probably enough to fill both pools!) so that we could open on June 13th after delaying briefly to make big repairs.
A lot of teamwork, goodwill, and patience went into starting our 2026 season…not unlike the teamwork, goodwill, and patience required of members in 1959.
Six months after registering Woodland Hills Club as a non-profit corporation, our founders were all set to construct the private, member-owned recreational facility we now enjoy.
The plan was to kick off Phase I of the project with a ceremonial groundbreaking on April 25th, and then execute the build in May and June. Then they’d all celebrate the Club’s completion on the 4th of July.
When Saturday, April 25th finally arrived, all 147 member families were eager to help get Woodland Hills off the (in the?) ground. Not even a broken arm could keep five-year-old Reid Haddick, our Board Secretary’s son, from digging in!
Everybody gathered in what is now our parking lot, and shared promises both solemn and celebratory. Just like us, they were all in it together.
The landscape was a bit different for them than it is for us, though. The townhouses (not pictured below) wouldn’t be built for another 18 years!
Whole families drove out to the country and stood shoulder to shoulder on that exhilarating April day, ready with shovels of all shapes and sizes. Together, our founding families pitched in to move some dirt and make their mark—realizing the dream they all shared.
Just a few days later, the big machines showed up (along with three more women identified only by their husbands’ names)!
The hole got much deeper and wider as they worked, and soon it was time to start pouring concrete and placing rebar.
That foundational work has kept our main pool solid and strong for nearly 70 years now, but ironically it made this year’s repairs to our deep end extra complicated.
Thankfully and fortunately, though, we Woodland Hills members could put our trust in Pool Manager Jared Dallas.
But back to 1959!
Want to guess how many people gathered at Woodland Hills Club to celebrate Independence Day that year?
That’s right! You read that typewritten history correctly. The answer is: Zero.
The pool wasn’t ready to open on July 4th.
Instead of being in party mode as planned, our poor predecessors were on pause. Instead of going for a float, our fellow members had to go with the flow. Instead of wading, our founding families were patiently waiting. And waiting.
Don’t worry, though. Their patience and care definitely paid off.
And our starters sure did celebrate on August 8th!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Deep Dive, our new history feature. We’d love it if you contributed. Longtime members, please tell us your stories. Share your photos and your fond memories.