OCEAN PINES–Having a space to play bridge once weekly for approximately 50 out of 52 weeks is not sufficient for Ocean Pines resident Anna Foultz, who beseeched General Manager Bob Thompson and the board of directors for space each and every week during their July 23 meeting.
Representing the Wednesday Bridge Club, Foultz said the group, which has been in existence more than 40 years, needs a weekly place to play cards.
The group usually plays bridge on the second floor of the Ocean Pines Country Club, but Foultz said a man told them one day to leave, at times there has been no soap in the restrooms, sometimes it’s too hot and at other times, it’s too cold.
“These ladies are playing in freezing conditions,” she said.
At the other extreme, sometimes it is so hot they get sick, she said.
“They’re not treating us properly,” Foultz said. “They’re not giving us a place to play bridge. Why didn’t they find us a place to play bridge?”
Foultz said she had called the Yacht Club to ask if the group could play bridge there and was told no.
“They’re treating us like second-class citizens,” Foultz said.
One day, she said, was “the worse day of my life.” On that day, she and others were “all set to go play bridge” at the Country Club, but when she arrived, the door was locked.
“I panicked,” she said. “I called people I shouldn’t have called.”
She called 911.
She said she and the other bridge players had been told they could play cards at the Community Center, but that apparently did not work out. That facility has three rooms suitable for meetings.
“There’s no reason at all you can’t find space,” Foultz said. “It doesn’t make sense to pick on these ladies.”
Board President Tom Terry told the very upset Foultz that a place had been found for the group to play bridge about 50 out of 52 weeks. Ocean Pines, he said, has many, many groups and the bridge group has been able to use a space 99 percent of the time.
Thompson also told Foultz that Ocean Pines has limited space for the community’s many groups, but she was not appeased.
“Can’t you give us a place to play once a week?” she said.
Thompson also told Foultz that the new Yacht Club is meant to be a money making facility and is not suitable for card players on the second floor, but Foultz remained distraught.
“I can’t take it anymore,” she said.
Later, another bridge club member, Ann Schwartz, also asked why the group could not play cards at the Yacht Club. She asked why the group was forced to “go to restaurants that will take our money.”
Thompson explained again that the Yacht Club is a restaurant.
“We are focused on food sales,” Thompson said. “People who use it pay to use it.”
Thompson said he had looked into the issue and knew that although the group plays bridge from 10 am. to 2:30 p.m., Foultz arrives at 9:30 a.m. to set up for seven to nine tables of players. That, he said, is a large block of time. The group wants space for five hours during business hours.
Because of such space allocation issues, confusion about types of groups and ongoing questions of who has the right to use Ocean Pines facilities and whether they can use them for free, a new facility use policy will be devised, Thompson said. It will define and differentiate among social, charitable, civic and other groups. A committee will review applications from groups wanting to use the facilities.
He did not give a timeline for a policy to be developed.
Representing the Wednesday Bridge Club, Foultz said the group, which has been in existence more than 40 years, needs a weekly place to play cards.
The group usually plays bridge on the second floor of the Ocean Pines Country Club, but Foultz said a man told them one day to leave, at times there has been no soap in the restrooms, sometimes it’s too hot and at other times, it’s too cold.
“These ladies are playing in freezing conditions,” she said.
At the other extreme, sometimes it is so hot they get sick, she said.
“They’re not treating us properly,” Foultz said. “They’re not giving us a place to play bridge. Why didn’t they find us a place to play bridge?”
Foultz said she had called the Yacht Club to ask if the group could play bridge there and was told no.
“They’re treating us like second-class citizens,” Foultz said.
One day, she said, was “the worse day of my life.” On that day, she and others were “all set to go play bridge” at the Country Club, but when she arrived, the door was locked.
“I panicked,” she said. “I called people I shouldn’t have called.”
She called 911.
She said she and the other bridge players had been told they could play cards at the Community Center, but that apparently did not work out. That facility has three rooms suitable for meetings.
“There’s no reason at all you can’t find space,” Foultz said. “It doesn’t make sense to pick on these ladies.”
Board President Tom Terry told the very upset Foultz that a place had been found for the group to play bridge about 50 out of 52 weeks. Ocean Pines, he said, has many, many groups and the bridge group has been able to use a space 99 percent of the time.
Thompson also told Foultz that Ocean Pines has limited space for the community’s many groups, but she was not appeased.
“Can’t you give us a place to play once a week?” she said.
Thompson also told Foultz that the new Yacht Club is meant to be a money making facility and is not suitable for card players on the second floor, but Foultz remained distraught.
“I can’t take it anymore,” she said.
Later, another bridge club member, Ann Schwartz, also asked why the group could not play cards at the Yacht Club. She asked why the group was forced to “go to restaurants that will take our money.”
Thompson explained again that the Yacht Club is a restaurant.
“We are focused on food sales,” Thompson said. “People who use it pay to use it.”
Thompson said he had looked into the issue and knew that although the group plays bridge from 10 am. to 2:30 p.m., Foultz arrives at 9:30 a.m. to set up for seven to nine tables of players. That, he said, is a large block of time. The group wants space for five hours during business hours.
Because of such space allocation issues, confusion about types of groups and ongoing questions of who has the right to use Ocean Pines facilities and whether they can use them for free, a new facility use policy will be devised, Thompson said. It will define and differentiate among social, charitable, civic and other groups. A committee will review applications from groups wanting to use the facilities.
He did not give a timeline for a policy to be developed.