Page 4 - Summer 2024 TYC Magazine
P. 4

The YORI<. Club Magazine                                                                    Summer 2024 Edition



          Interview: Building Blocks




       RP. C.  Chair Mr.  Stuart Lazier on pro/·ett involvemen0  Club future



      Stuart L azier is the Chair of the Club's Renovation Planning
      Committee. H e recent!J sat do1Vn during the daJJJn ef the prrject's
      construction phase to discuss his involvement and vision for the
      Club.

      Carlos Verde (CV, The York Club): Mr. Lazier, let's begin
      by discussing your affiliation with the Club. When did
      you join, and how did you become involved with the
      R.PC.?
      Stuart Lazier (SL): We became Members in 2013, mainly
      to be able to dine in the elegance of the old Gooderham
      home and perhaps build some new relationships in the
      Club's community. Three years later I was asked to bring
      some real estate expertise to the House Committee. Since
      I have been in the real estate investment business for
      many years, I  think that I was able to offer some
      constructive thoughts on planning for the future capital
      projects at the Club. The way the Club had previously
      managed the maintenance and major capital projects was
      on an ad hoc basis annually. There really was no
      long-term plan for executing or funding the restoration
      of our wonderful century-old home.
      In 2018 then-Chair D avid Shaw and his Board saw the
      need  for a proper long-term plan that included real estate
      but also included many other improvements to the Club
      experience. This process led to a detailed member survey
      which provided critical strategic information that would
      end up being the basis for the Renovation Planning
      Committee program.
      CV: What were a few  of the challenges the R.PC. has
      faced?
      SL: Firstly, we had to put the right membership team
      togetl1er, Members witl1  design, accounting, real estate
      backgrounds as well as Members that knew our
      community well.  Of course, that wasn't really a challenge
      because we have m any qualified Members that deeply
      care about our 'home away from home'. We also had an      old and four feet off the ground. While we couldn't
      organizational approach from the beginning to ensure      reach a cost-effective solution or an acceptable ramp
      continuity throughout the renovation project. All of our   design, we have added accessible washrooms on both
      Members who got involved in 2019 are still involved.      floors for men and women as well as in the new garden
      One of the biggest challenges we had was to design        pavilion. Membership support and an  affordable
      external accessibility into a building that's over 100 years   construction budget were two other challenges.
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