3
November 2017
The Sandcastle, A History (Continued From Previous Page)
floor was the current large room divisible into three and a large
catering kitchen which was no longer described as a club-like
grill, but rather, according to the August 1996 Digest, as a space
for property owner functions, seated meals and special event
rentals. Outside was a verandah on both levels that overlooked
the ocean and wrapped around the side, a new beach access
with showers, and 103 parking spaces.
Nat Malcolm remembers some of the early challenges: a
mother at the grand opening, furious that Nat would not let
her children play in the fitness room; providing easy access
for property owners and their guests while screening out non-
KICA members; the air conditioning and sound systems,
both initially ineffective; the push and pull by members over
whether the complex should be elegant and club-like with dues
or, as Nat preferred, a community asset for everyone.
He also remembers good times. “My favorite times were the
events, especially the property owner dinners that I started.
They benefited the caterers who wanted to be known by the
community as well as the members, and were one of the
center pieces of our activities.” He is still proud of the large
event space. “We built the event space as a place for wedding
receptions and it is still used for them today.”
KICA Recreation Director Kay Narmour has been working at the
Sandcastle almost since its inception. She recalled, “The thinking
was that except for Nat as manager, and a half-time assistant
manager, property owner volunteers would run the building, pool
and food operations. There wasn’t even to be a fitness instructor.
No one knew how much work running a recreation center would
be. I was hired six hours a week to fill in so the people running it
could go play tennis. Obviously, you can’t run a place like this with
only volunteer help.” Kay quickly began to handle weekend events
and her hours increased. Soon, she was the assistant manager and
eventually she replaced Nat as Sandcastle manager.
The fitness room and food operations caused problems from
the beginning. At first, member volunteers staffed the snack
bar, but soon the pool contractor who provided the lifeguards
took over that function, serving little more than hamburgers,
hotdogs, peanut butter sandwiches and snacks. In 1996, when
the building opened, the snack bar kitchen was inside the main
building; food was served from the kitchen to people outside
where the seating was. But flies were a problem, so the seating
area was enclosed the second summer.
The Sandcastle's Enclosed Snack Bar, Circa 1997
accessible only through the kitchen or the middle room [which
was to have been the bar]. So when the rooms were used separately,
if the middle room was in use, people had enter the third room
through the kitchen.” There was no upstairs storage, so nowhere
to store the heavy round pedestal tables that had been purchased
for the dining room and, though attractive furniture superior to
catering quality tables, frequently had to be moved so the room
could be used for activities other than dining. “No one envisioned
that the rooms would have a variety of uses or could foresee how
the Sandcastle would eventually be used.” Kay said.
The fitness area suffered from a different set of problems. When
it opened, it had the Trotter Gym, some cardio equipment and
class space. Soon, women in classes began complaining about
the men on tre