Matt Gohlke

Denton has some spectacular pools with beautiful landscapes that are definitely worth seeing. Now you have the opportunity to see them by attending the 2008 Parade of Pools.

Many of us have attended a home tour. This function will be similar, allowing members of the community a chance to see some of the best backyards in the area while also raising money for Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home.

The 2008 Parade of Pools will take place noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The rain date will be Saturday, May 24. There will be a minimum donation of $5 for adults and $2 for children and all proceeds will benefit Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home. For more information about this year’s beneficiary, visit www.cpch.org. The donation will let you visit the five pools that are on the tour in any order that you choose. This will be a self-guided tour, but someone will be at each site to answer questions about the swimming pool.

Courtesy photo/Gohlke Pools

This pool at 3211 Santa Monica Drive is one of five that will be showcased during the 2008 Parade of Pools.

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Tickets and maps are available in advance from Gohlke Pools at 909 Dallas Drive in Denton or at any of the following pool sites on the day of the event.

2001 Stonegate St.

This pool is the first renovation project that has ever been included in the parade. The original pool was built in the 1970s and had held up well for many years, but was in need of an update in this already beautiful backyard. The designer and the homeowner could both visualize the potential of this project, and the end result exceeded the designer’s expectations.

This was not a simple renovation. Both a spa and raised beam were added to the pool. The coping and deck were replaced with Leuders limestone and an acid-stained concrete deck. The white plaster was replaced with an ocean blue pebble sheen. The Tishways water feature in the spa spillway and the sheer-descent water features in the raised beam were final touches that really updated this back yard.

3917 Maggies Meadow

This homeowner desired a freeform pool with a waterfall, spa and slide on the back side of the pool and the designer delivered just that. The pool has a beach entry flanked by a boulder on each side with fountain bubblers. One of the unique characteristics of this pool is that two different color selections were made for the pool surface: a beach sand color for the entry and a darker blue for the pool. The stamped concrete deck, stepping-stones and acid-stained concrete patio were excellent hardscape items that really complemented this project.

3520 Belmont St.

The homeowner wanted to incorporate a fireplace, arbor and an outdoor grilling area into this pool and spa project. Multiple planting areas were used to soften the architectural elements that were part of the project. The six-foot elevation change in the yard was solved with terraced retaining walls and multiple stamped concrete patio levels, transitioned by capped limestone steps.

Part of the pool’s elegance is created through the 12 symmetrical stream jets flanking it, with six on each side. The elevated platform for the diving board is a unique design concept. The lights in the facing on the steps create a beautiful nighttime environment. This pool won a design award in 2006.

3108 Triple Crown Court

A natural diving pool and spa was designed to complement this beautiful Key Custom Home. The raised spa is flanked by a waterfall made of moss rock on the back side of the pool, which was the perfect way to deal with the slight elevation change at the site while creating a dramatic viewpoint for the homeowners. This pool has another unique design quality: the diving board is built into a raised patio, which helps the aesthetics of the diving board. The multicolor flagstone and the Mediterranean Sea tile pebble sheen help accent the interior pool surface that was selected for the project — pebble sheen blue granite.

3211 Santa Monica Drive

This is the second pool at this location. The goal was to remove the old pool and install something that would fit the needs of the homeowners, while fitting in with the natural environment. The elevation changes at the site allowed for the multiple-level, natural pool that was designed for this lakeside property. It includes a waterfall made of moss rock, Oklahoma flagstone coping and steps. The stamped concrete decking, by Patterned Concrete of Dallas, is a hand-cut fieldstone pattern with colors of pecan-tan base and beige release. The interior surface of the pool is Pebble Tec. The drop beam, which is veneered with old hickory flagstone, is a unique design concept that is an excellent way to deal with the elevation change.

MATT GOHLKE, certified building professional, is the owner of Gohlke Pools and a member of the National Spa & Pool Institute, Aquatech (a society of pool building professionals), Better Business Bureau and an authorized dealer of Bioguard and Baquacil. His firm has received many national awards, certifications and recognitions in the swimming pool industry. Mr. Gohlke may be reached 940-387-7521.